


Our Four Pawprints

by KesoKeos



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hybrids, M/M, Romantic Soulmates, Slow Burn, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, basically each person has animal traits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:48:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 28,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28561566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KesoKeos/pseuds/KesoKeos
Summary: Tsukishima knew he was going to have a hard time from the beginning. Being a part of a four person soulmate bond was never going to be easy, especially when Kei was the only domestic hybrid in their bond.Things become infinitely harder when he meets said soulmates, only to find the three of them already happily in a relationship together, without him.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Haiba Lev/Kuroo Tetsurou, Haiba Lev/Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei/Yaku Morisuke, Haiba Lev/Tsukishima Kei, Haiba Lev/Yaku Morisuke, Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei, Kuroo Tetsurou/Yaku Morisuke, Terushima Yuuji & Tsukishima Kei, Tsukishima Kei/Yaku Morisuke, Yachi Hitoka/Yamaguchi Tadashi/Terushima Yuuji/Shimizu Kiyoko
Comments: 6
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

The tension in the gym was on the rise as both teams stepped onto the court before their first match. It was the nationals of Kei's third year, and it was Date Tech against Nekoma; both schools for those with land dwelling animal traits. Nekoma, as the name suggests, was a school specifically for cat hybrids, and though Tsukishima Kei was a Maine Coon, he did not attend Nekoma. He attended Date Tech, a school known in the Miyagi prefecture for its impressive blocking skills, and it was where he belonged. It had come at a surprise to him that he had been named captain for their final year, but he had taken the role and done everything he could to grow their team and lead them well. Obviously, he'd done something well, and them along with Karasuno high had made it to the nationals. Something had changed since their first year, and Miyagi was now represented by two teams instead of one — so though they had beat Karasuno in the last match, they both still progressed.

Taking a step forward, Tsukishima met the beautiful green eyes of the opposing team's captain, Haiba Lev, and shook his hand. The other teen — Kei was pretty sure he was a lion hybrid from what he'd heard about Nekoma — had a bright smile on his face, clearly the more sociable type, and had been more than glad to shake the hand he held out. "This is your school's first time coming to nationals in a while, right? I look forward to having a good match with you guys," Lev said, a warmth in the way that he spoke that Kei knew meant that this guy was genuine with his words. 

It was strange, as if he felt some sort of pull towards this guy, and even when they let go of their hands, the feeling lingered. For a moment a flicker of hope that perhaps he was one of his soulmates, but he pushed that thought aside. It was right before a game, and knowing that they were would only make it difficult for both of their teams. That was part of why he wore long knee pads, to cover up the four paw print marks on his thigh, his soulmate marks. Each one was different in shape and size, most likely belonging to each member in the bond, and were in a line going upwards. Kei's was the smallest one and it was at the top, the largest one at the bottom, indicating that his soulmates probably weren't domestic breeds like he was. 

"Ah, that would be correct. I look forward to a good match too," he replied with a nod, trying not to sound too cold, nor too enthusiastic. Strangely, a part of him wanted to show the softer side that he usually took a long time to display, wanted to smile at the taller, wanted to return the warmth that had been extended to him already. "I take it that you've been to nationals before, then?"

That last part had slipped out before he could stop himself from speaking, and yet Tsukishima didn't regret it. He wasn't one for small talk or friendly conversations, particularly with people they were about to play against, but Lev had simply lit up when he heard him and obviously didn't mind. It was kind of cute, seeing the way his smile had turned into a beam and his eyes had brightened, but he was quick to push the thought from his mind. "Mhm! Yeah, it's my fourth time. I'm really glad I stuck around even though it's my third year, especially since we couldn't make it through to the first nationals earlier this year. It makes it worth being captain when you get to see everyone come together as a team and really do something great, don't you think?"

At hearing that, Kei glanced back at his own team and smiled a little, his fluffy tail swaying slowly behind him. Perhaps he'd been somewhat nervous before, but seeing that their opponents were decent people was calming. Or, maybe it was just Lev that he felt comfortable around, but either way he was calm enough to let his guard down and smile. "Perhaps it can be a nightmare dealing with their antics sometimes, but everyone worked harder than ever before just to get the chance to be here and play at least one game. No matter how far we get into nationals, as long as we never give up, it'll have been worth every one of those hours we spent training," Tsukishima said softly, glancing back at Lev, who seemed even happier to hear his answer. Usually he hated overly happy people, but after being surrounded by them most of his life, he supposed he could live with one guy he might never see again smiling at him. Who was he kidding? He kind of liked it that this one very stunning guy was smiling at him like that, not that he would admit it.

"Well, we'll be giving it our all as well, Tsukishima-san! We worked just as hard to get here, after all." Lev gave him a thumbs up and another grin, before turning back to the rest of Nekoma to talk to them before the match. Even as Kei walked towards his own team, he couldn't help but feel just a bit more excited for the match ahead, and a strange feeling of what he hoped was simply admiration for the other teams captain. 

As Kei walked over, Koganegawa gave him a smile and patted him on the back, his tail wagging excitedly. The golden retriever hybrid was always bright and excitable, and though he acted as if he didn't appreciate it, he was grateful for the constant cheerfulness the setter had. Tsukishima looked over, seeing Sakunami and Fukiage smiling at him as well, his three fellow third years and the three people he'd grown closest to in his team during his time at highschool. "Kogane, Saku, Fuki, let's do this. Whatever happens, thank you for the past three years," Kei said, giving them a determined smile, before turning to the rest of the team. 

Slowly, everyone began to gather around, and Kei knew that they had all helped him change as a person over the last three years. He had never considered himself the leading type, but they had accepted him as captain despite his flaws and they all helped each other grow. "Alright, everyone. I know it's nationals, that it's intimidating having everyone looking at you and the opponents are tough. I've heard plenty about Nekoma, they're a solid team that's excellent at keeping the ball in motion. But... we're Date Tech, and though we have our iron wall, we also have each other. It's going to be tough to beat them, but I know that if we stick together we can make it. You've all done well just to get here, so play the best you can and prove to the world who we are. The end result doesn't matter compared to the game you play, so give it your all so you can be proud of what you've done after it's over."

Koganegawa grinned and stepped forward, nodding in agreement to his words and clapping his hands. "Listen to your captain, everyone. A lot can happen in a volleyball match, and you never know, one of us might get hurt and then it'll be your chance to shine. Never back away from a challenge, we've all worked hard to get here, not just the people on the starting lineup. We are all Date Tech, we all make up the iron wall. Go go, let's go, let's go, Dateko!" he cheered, resulting in the rest of the team repeating the anthem in response. The setter was usually the one who did the hyping up before a game, anyway, as cheerful and supportive as ever, and it certainly did its job. The tension in the gym was high, but their team seemed relaxed and ready to play.

As they took their positions before the match began, Kei relaxed and actually grinned for once. It was the first time he'd been this excited about playing a game of volleyball, and it only seemed to give the team even more motivation when they saw it. It wasn't often he was so expressive around all of them, after all, even if in truth the blond had a soft spot for his team.

Just as he'd expected, the match was extremely close, neither team getting more than one or two points ahead of the other one. Nekoma was strong, especially with Lev as their captain and their ace. The middle blocker was extremely tall, as well as powerful, and though wasn't as calm and analytical as Tsukishima was, he was a good blocker. Kei was pushing himself extremely hard to be able to block him, usually only getting past with one touches. It was exhausting, having to jump so much to keep up and having to think about every move that Lev was going to make, but he wasn't alone. Fukiage and Koganegawa were by his side, completing their iron wall and letting him time the blocks. They only barely managed to win the first set, the last point being won by a block that completely shut out the spike of one of Nekoma's second years. 

The second set was even more difficult than the first, the rally's even longer and the constant jumping becoming harder to endure. Kei had to fight to keep focused, they all did, but they were able to continue on with the same strength that they'd had during the first set. It was getting near the end of the second set when it happened, the score 24-23 in their favour. Tsukishima could tell Lev was jumping higher than usual for his spike, and also added in the extra power to his jump to keep up. When he'd looked up to prepare for it, he'd lost focus for just a moment, and his eyes caught onto the soulmate mark on Lev's right arm. Four paws, the smallest one on the inside of his wrist and the largest one finishing just before the inside of his elbow, each one the exact same shape and size as the ones that were on his thigh. His eyes widened, right before he snapped into focus on the ball. He managed to touch the ball and attempt to stop it, but as a result of his surprise his form was off, and Lev's spike was powerful. Instead of it hitting his whole hand, it slammed down across his pinky, and a sharp pain accompanied it. 

He'd put in a lot of power into the jump as well, and with the millions of thoughts racing through his mind, along with the exhaustion of two gruelling sets of constant jumping his body was beginning to tire. He wasn't thinking about the landing as his eyes gazed to his hand — the red warmth of blood on his hand where the skin between his pinky and ring finger had split — and the next thing he knew his ankle gave out, rolling and causing another splitting pain. He found himself falling onto the ground, letting out a pained yelp as he fell back and his injured hand was jolted as he tried to lessen the impact of the fall.

The moment it happened, Tsukishima knew exactly what was wrong. He'd have to come off the court anyways — his hand was bleeding from where the skin had split, and his pinky looked horrible — but his ankle was definitely at least sprained. Kei knew that he sometimes stuffed a landing when he was exhausted, but he never usually did anything to injure it. The angle he'd been trying to land at wasn't great, and by the searing pain in his ankle he knew he'd definitely injured it badly enough that he wouldn't be able to play. His pinky was also hurting horribly, and Kei was still in shock that one person could put that much strength into a spike that it did that. There was no way he was coming back onto the court, no way he was continuing to play with his team for the rest of the match, against one of his soulmates of all people. 

He never used to think volleyball was important, it was always just another thing in his day. It was just a club, nothing to get too overwhelmed or excited by. But then, he'd met the people at Date Tech, he'd found a place where he could learn so much about blocking and improve his skills and really grow. He'd played against Karasuno, Tadashi's team, he'd gone to training camps with others from Miyagi, he'd made friends. Somewhere along the line it hadn't stayed being 'just a club', it was like his home, it was something he loved playing, and he wanted to grow and get as far as he could with a team he truly cared about by his side. Now, in just a few moments, that dream he'd only just realised he'd had was ripped away from him. 

The referee had blown the whistle because of the fact that there was blood, but he didn't even register it. His fluffy ears had flopped down, and Kei could only bring himself to whimper quietly as he thought through everything that had just happened. "Tsukki..." Koganegawa muttered, kneeling down beside him and holding out a hand.

Kei blinked, looking up at his setter and vice captain, and then to the rest of the people on the team. They were just as exhausted as he felt, and the whole energy of the team had shifted in an instant. He was their captain, and here he was just on the floor and whimpering like a child. Of course that would put a downer on their morals, and that was the exact opposite of what he wanted. Of course, Tsukishima wanted to cry, he wanted to scream and yell and let everything out, because it hurt so much knowing that this was all going to be over now, that there was no going back and no continuing to fight with them. But also, he had to be strong, even if his heart clenched and ached and he wanted to blame himself for being such an idiot as to let this happen. He couldn't let that take over, not for the moment.

Tsukishima grabbed Koganegawa's hand, with renewed determination standing up even despite the way his ankle stabbed with pain as he placed some of his weight on it. He swore under his breath, because it really, really hurt to put any weight on it at all, and that confirmed his earlier fears, but he put on a determined expression anyways to hide that. "Geez, stop looking like I died or something," Kei told them sternly, looking at his team, both those on the court and on the sidelines, taking a shaky breath as he thought for a moment about what to say. "We are all Date Tech, not just me, we all make up the iron wall. We all spent countless hours training and practicing for this day to come, and none of you are horrible. This is not about you as an individual, it is about us as a team. I don't give a fuck if you mess up a serve or miss a block, we all make mistakes, but I do care about if you don't bother even trying in the first place. So don't you dare give up on me, you hear that! You better give it your all, or I will never forgive you." 

He took a few steps forward, finding himself leaning heavily on the setter for support and more limping than walking, before their coach and manager came over to help him to the bench. For a time, the team was silent, the second year stepping on to the court to take his place doing so quietly, before Koganegawa spoke up once more. "Just because our captain isn't playing with us doesn't mean it's over. He's taken us this far into the game, and we've got to get to the end of the game for him. Win or lose, that doesn't matter anymore. Keep on playing like you have been, keep on going, because we are all a team and we can build our wall back even stronger!"

The rest of the team seemed to have been convinced by that and nodded, moving into huddle and put their hands together. It only seemed like mere moments later the match began once more, and Kei refused to leave. Even when they tried to convince him to go to the infirmary he refused, not leaving the bench so that he could watch the rest of the game. It wasn't like there was a chance of him going back onto the court anyways, not with his ankle like it was, so he wasn't going to miss a moment of it. In the end, their manager taped his pinky to a pen as a makeshift splint, cleaned and bandaged his hand. and gave him an ice pack to hold against it, making him promise to get his ankle and finger checked out properly after the match was over.

In the end, they lost the second set to Nekoma, but not after a few long rallies and scoring another point, the score ending up 27-25. Tsukishima had asked them to keep fighting, and keep fighting was what they did. It was painful to watch, he wasn't going to lie that it hurt that he couldn't keep on playing. He wanted to be out on the court with them, to be by their side and supporting them, to fight with them, but at the same time he was so proud of how far the team had come. Even in the third set when they were always a few points behind, they never once gave up, putting up an admirable fight.

From where he was sitting, Kei caught the eyes of a dark haired male with horrendous bed hair — it almost looked reminiscent of a rooster — occasionally glancing over at him, at one point he even thought he saw the guy give him a smile, but figured he must have been imagining things. He'd never met the guy in his life, so why would he be looking at him in such a way? There was something familiar about his gaze, something kind in his smile, something that made him curious. It was an odd feeling, and for a moment once again he wondered if perhaps they could be soulmates too. Lev was his soulmate, he knew that, and he couldn't quite believe it himself. Tsukishima didn't know how he ended up with someone like Lev, a lion hybrid with such a bright smile and warm personality, when he himself wasn't worth much. As much as he wanted to keep thinking about the silver haired male, he was playing right in front of him right now, there were more important things to focus on.

In the end, the final result was Nekoma's win, the third set ending 25-20 in the team from Tokyo's favour.

Kei had all of his attention to his team as the last point was scored, feeling something shift inside of him when he saw the way their expressions were downtrodden and upset. He waited just for a moment as the two teams bowed and shook hands, before standing up when they all came over. It was so painful on his ankle and he was relying heavily on his other leg to keep him up, but he tried his best not to make it too obvious. The mood on their side of the court was a lot more somber, and after the match they'd played, he didn't think it was right. Tsukishima looked at all of them for a moment, taking the time to silently look in the eyes of each member, giving them an approving nod. "I know it's hard, I know that we lost and that it feels horrible, but look how far we made it, how close we all came. You guys were great out there, you played the best I've seen you all play, and I couldn't have been prouder to be able to call myself captain of this team then when I got to watch all of you."

In the corner of his eyes, he watched as Lev ran over to the guy with bed hair and a shorter brown haired guy, both of whom gave the silver haired teen a kiss. His heart stung when he saw that, clenching tightly inside his chest and sending a sense of hopelessness throughout. Considering his pondering earlier about the dark haired guy, they were probably his other soulmates, and the three of them were already happy together. His already aching heart was stinging with the realisation that they had lost — even though he was proud of his team — and then it hurt more with the understanding that he wasn't needed by his soulmates. Kei's soulmates were already together, and the three of them looked genuinely happy. He felt that he would only be damaging things if he came in, he was likely to mess things up, and so resigned himself to not tell Lev who he was like he'd originally planned to do after the match. 

Tsukishima tried not to let it show how it hurt him (since he couldn't let other people know about this), taking a deep breath, and gave their team all a genuine smile. "Truly, I thank you all for the past year together as a team. I know we didn't win, but we got to nationals, and that really means the world to me that I could do it with all of you. Maybe I didn't play the whole game, but watching all of you play like you did, seeing how you worked together and brought to life all we've worked on, it was really something special." A few tears welled up in his eyes, his eyes stinging, but he blinked them away and didn't let any of them fall, unlike the other members of their team that had all begun to cry. He wished he could bring himself to cry with them, but the best show of pain they would be seeing from him was the wetness of his eyes and his whimpering from earlier. "Anyways, if you'll excuse me, I need to head off to the infirmary and get my ankle checked out. I don't think it's anything too serious, so I'll be fine to get there on my own. Make sure you guys all warm down properly, and stay hydrated," he said, his voice holding a kindness that he didn't often let out into the open, along with the thickness and strain of one about to cry. 

With that, he turned around and waved as he limped off out of the court area and to a separate place of the building, swearing and muttering curses under his breath. He'd clearly been lying about saying it wasn't serious, since he was limping quite obviously and seemed to be in pain. Still, nobody tried to stop him, knowing just how stubborn Kei could be. In his haste to leave, the blond didn't notice the pair of hazel eyes watching him with concern as he walked off, or the green eyes that followed soon after. 

It wasn't long before he could turn the corner and be out of sight. Not only was his ankle sore, his pinky a strange mixture between feeling numb and like it was being stabbed, he hadn't gotten the chance to warm down, and his body felt all stiff and tense. The wall ended up being his support as he gave his foot a break, letting out a shaky sigh and leaning back against the wall, whining softly in pain. 

His cat ears were folded down, and he felt more pathetic than ever as he traced over where he knew his soulmate tattoo was on the side of his thigh, sniffling softly. "Just my fucking luck," he whispered, moving his hand back up to hold the ice pack to his injured pinky. Perhaps he'd become more open over the past few years with his team, but he still hated showing signs of weakness to them. 

They had lost, for all of their efforts and all the time they spent working on getting to nationals, perfecting their teamwork and blocking, for all the hours training together and becoming the new iron wall, they hadn't even made it past their first match in nationals. That put a bruise on his pride, a large one when he took into account the embarrassment he'd been by getting injured. Tsukishima wasn't just hurting, he was angry at himself for not being able to land, for not just letting it be a hand injury and for falling onto the floor like that. It was pathetic, and it once again made him question why he'd become captain. Volleyball was just a club, why had he began to try so hard when it only led to this pain and hurt? They had lost, because he was weak, and now what had started out as the best match of his life was now the worst, because it was all over before it even really began.

And then, there was the extra hurt because of his soulmates, and that situation. Why would they want someone like him, who was pathetic and weak? Maybe he hadn't made a horrible impression on Lev in the first place, but he had certainly done so after that injury. It was all in his head, but Kei could imagine what he hoped he would never have to see in real life — the silver haired male looking at him with disgust and laughing as he sat, injured on the floor.

At the moment, he wasn't planning on telling anyone what had really happened during that block, or about his soulmates and having found them. He hadn't shown anyone his mark in years, so even if Yamaguchi or others had seen Lev's they wouldn't know he was 'destined' to be a part of that bond. Kei's soulmates were already happily in a relationship together, and from the looks of how comfortable they were, they had been for a while. Who was he to intrude in on that? If they didn't know that he was their soulmate, it would just be easier for everyone. They wouldn't know how he was hurting because of it, they wouldn't feel guilty, and could continue on with their lives happily like they were. Tsukishima barely knew them anyway, he'd only spoken to Lev, and he was sure it would be a conversation the silver haired male would have forgotten all about already. 

Them being soulmates explained why he'd felt so comfortable around Lev despite having just met, why he'd let his guard down enough to smile, why he felt a desire to be close to him. The way the other captain had smiled at him had been so bright, and made him want to smile as well, the memory of it burned into his mind. Kei couldn't help it and let out a sob, his eyes welling up with hot tears as everything came crashing down around him. If just one person from his team had decided to follow him, he knew that he wouldn't be able to hide it. It was a daunting feeling, an almost heartbreaking one, that he was so worried about some of the people that actually cared seeing him cry, but there was nothing he could do to stop it now.

Tsukishima sobbed again, tears beginning to flow easily, trailing down his cheeks and neck or falling onto the floor. There was too many there to try and stop, not when his hand was as injured as it was. Nobody tried to stop and help him, they just let him be; it was easy for them to guess what had happened, because there was usually only one reason why teams went off crying. 

Nobody, apart from one man, one who had made his way over knowing full well what he was doing. "Hey, are you okay? You still need to get your ankle looked after, right? Do you mind if I help you get to the infirmary?" a kind, deep voice asked, while a warm hand gently rested on top of his own. Kei looked up to see who it was, his eyes widening when he saw that messy dark rooster-like bed hair through his blurred vision. His eyes stung from the tears, and it was harder to see without his glasses, but he could still distinguish that face easily. 

Even though he'd not seen it except for at a distance, he somehow knew that face like he'd known it for years, and it was even more attractive in person. Those eyes, that pair of caring hazel eyes that he knew belonged to one of his soulmates, were staring right into his own teary honey-brown eyes with a look that he couldn't quite articulate, but one that was caring even despite them being strangers. It wasn't just because Lev had kissed him, but just some other sense he felt, that he just knew they were soulmates. He felt it even more strongly than the connection he'd felt with the half-Russian, and there was no doubting the way he felt. "I can carry you there if you'd be okay with that. I don't imagine it's particularly nice to be out here in the open, it'll save the strain on your foot, and it'll be quicker that way," the stranger — his soulmate — asked, gently caressing the back of his hand with his thumb.

It hurt more than he liked to admit, that his soulmate was there up close and offering to help him out, because he wanted to be able to admit that he belonged to their bond and was one of them, but he didn't feel like he was good enough to be a part of their relationship. It made Kei confused, and for more than one reason. What was this guy doing here, with him no less? Did he know what they were to each other, or was he just pitying the fact that he'd gotten hurt and had to watch his team lose? Why would he bother with Kei, who had the traits of a domestic cat, whilst he appeared to be a black panther hybrid? Was there a reason for such kindness being directed at him, did he feel the same connection as Tsukishima did?

Even as all of those questions ran through his mind, even despite the aching in his chest and the tears in his eyes, Kei found himself nodding and not resisting when the man scooped him into his arms and carried him bridal style to the infirmary. Even though he felt it was childish to be so pathetic over something so small, to have to be carried around when he'd insisted he was fine, to be crying over his own decisions — hell, even though he'd decided he wouldn't tell them who he was, he felt safe in his soulmate's arms. A very large part of him wanted to curl up there and nuzzle him and just hold him and never let go, to take a risk that they would want him and accept him and not have to suffer, but his head was more in control than his heart.

It was nice though, his soulmate's scent was nice — like coffee and cinnamon — and in his arms it was warm and comforting. As they headed towards the infirmary, Tsukishima did his best to calm down and stop crying, wiping his eyes to rid them of the tears. It was easier than he'd thought it would be, and he attributed it mainly to the fact that his soulmate was so close.

The infirmary door was closed, someone already being attended to, but there were benches outside that people could sit on. Against his inner desire to stay curled up to his soulmate, Tsukishima moved away from the bed headed male, waiting beside him on one of the benches for a nurse to welcome them in. "Who are... uh, what's your name?" he asked quietly, looking down and not making eye contact. He had stopped crying, but he knew his eyes would be red and he didn't want to let his face betray his emotions. "I'm Tsukishima Kei."

"Hm? I already know who you are. I've heard a lot about you from the guys at Karasuno, and I have to say, they really weren't exaggerating about how good you are when it comes to blocking. I'm Kuroo Tetsurou, ex-captain of Nekoma's volleyball club," the older male said, giving him a smile even if Kei wasn't looking up to see it. The 'and your soulmate' was left unsaid, but to the blond it felt like there was a sort of understanding between them, that that was what they were, and it scared him a lot.

Tsukishima's breath hitched when he heard those words, and he bit his lip, not knowing how to respond to hearing that. Now, his soulmate had a name to go with that handsome face of his, and he didn't know if he would be able to ever forget either of the two of the members of their bond that he'd met officially. "I see... I vaguely remember Hinata yapping about a rooster haired captain a few years back, but I'm afraid I tend to tune out to most of his clucking so your name isn't that familiar. Thanks for the compliment, I guess, but I'm really not that impressive. I wouldn't have been able to make half the blocks I did without the others playing with me, Kuroo-san." He shrugged, glancing up at Kuroo for a moment to be greeted with that caring smile and warm eyes. Tetsurou had laughed softly at the first half of what he'd said, and Kei couldn't help but think it was the most beautiful laugh he'd ever heard. Just like with Lev, he felt comfortable around him, like he belonged in his presence, yet that didn't change the fact that they were already happy without him.

"I would beg to differ, seeming as I've heard stories about you. I heard that you blocked Ushiwaka at a training camp, but not just blocked, completely shutting him down. Honestly, the way you were playing out there, I would have hated to be on the other side of the net and having to deal with you. I know the great support it is having people on your team blocking with you and receiving if the block doesn't make it, but that doesn't change the fact that you played a part in that role. I've played my fair share of matches, I know that you were directing and timing most of those blocks. Lev's a tough person to get the hang of, yet you guided them well so that they could block on their own even when you got hurt. Really not that impressive my ass, you're bloody amazing," Kuroo replied, patting him gently on the back and giving him another kind smile. The way that he was looking at him, he was genuinely impressed with him, just like Lev had been genuine earlier. 

Kei just knew that he wasn't lying to him, and even if Lev and Tetsurou didn't realise it, that they were breaking down his barriers and doing so extremely quickly, and it made it all the more harder. It hurt to see that look directed at him, seeming as they probably wouldn't ever be anything more than acquaintances, but he would relish what he could get. It hurt seeing them getting along so well already, not thinking he was worthy enough to be a part of their relationship, nor someone that they could like romantically. "That's very kind of you to say, Kuroo-san. I don't get it though, why did you come out here after me?" Kei looked away again, unable to keep looking at Kuroo, especially when he knew his voice was small and quiet, sad sounding even. He hated himself for being so weak, especially for a first impression such as this, and before the other could answer he kept on talking. "Haiba-san, you and that other guy are soulmates, right? Shouldn't you be with them, especially since Nekoma won, rather than wasting your time with someone like me? You have nothing to gain by helping me now." 

"Geez, you make it sound as if there's something wrong with you when you say things like that, Tsukki. Yeah, Lev and Morisuke are two of my soulmates, but they'll be fine on their own for a bit. You, on the other hand, should not be walking around with your ankle like that, it'll only make it worse. Besides, I've wanted to meet you properly for ages, and you've exceeded all expectations, so I wouldn't call it wasting time at all," Kuroo replied, gently wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him in for a hug. He considered it, but Tsukishima didn't try to push him away, relaxing and leaning into the embrace instead as the older male began to talk again. Tetsurou's other hand gently began to stroke his hair, carefully avoiding his ears, and Kei was grateful for it. Maybe, just maybe, if Kuroo did know, it was his way of saying that he wanted him? "As for why I'm here, well, it's a little complicated to explain exactly why, but I hope you know how I feel. I just, I don't know, it's just a feeling I had and I think Lev had it too, that I didn't want you to be alone. Especially when I found you out in the hallway, I didn't want you to be sad, I wanted to stay by your side until you were happy and smiling. I have everything to gain, because it would make me happy to see you happy too."

"Tsukki!" 

A voice called out, stopping the chance that Tsukishima had to reply, and before the winged male could make it around the corner, Kei had moved out of Kuroo's arms, sitting a little bit away from the dark haired male. He was clearly startled, and it didn't help that he was still trying to process everything that the male beside him had just said, and what it could have led to. He was sure that if it had continued, their conversation could and would have ended up with the other finding out for certain that they were soulmates. 

The person whom the voice belonged to was one of Yamaguchi's soulmates, Terushima. Kei's best friend was also in a bond of four, with Yachi, Kiyoko and Terushima. At first glance it seemed an unlikely couple, but the four of them had a really good relationship despite Terushima being in Tokyo for work and university (at a place that did tattoos and piercings). Tsukishima claimed he tolerated him simply to keep the peace, but he'd gotten sort of fond of the guy, to the point that they would be roommates when he went to university in Tokyo next year.

Moments later, Terushima rounded the corner, Tsukishima's bag in hand. He seemed to brighten when he saw who Kei was sitting beside and he ran over, his tan wings shuffling in excitement. "Hey, Tsukki, good to see you're not dying!" he said, ruffling the blond's hair — causing him to hiss quietly as his fingers brushed against the fluffy cat ears on his head. "Tadashi told me to give you this, he's dealing with all the first and second years and Hinata and Kageyama. He would have come himself, but he was just a tad bit busy looking after them with Yachi. The Konawa dude from your team or whatever his name gave it to us, and said you'd be here, but nothing about Kuroo! What a surprise to see you, especially with this salty kitty," Terushima said, winking and giving the bag to the third year before turning his attention to Kuroo. 

Kei scowled, one of his ears twitching in annoyance as he glared at the floor for a moment. When he glanced at his hand though, his expression softened and he began frowning as he saw it shaking a little. Tsukishima let out a soft sigh, removing the ice pack and simply holding his hand close to his chest. The dark haired male gave him a concerned look, but he just shook his head and muttered a quiet 'I'm fine' as Terushima began to talk once again.

"Don't tell me Lev got injured as well and that's why you're here. I thought you said he wasn't as much of a klutz anymore, man."

"No, no, Lev's fine. I'm here for Tsukki," Tetsurou replied, standing up and greeting him with a 'bro hug' as Terushima grinned and the pair continued to talk about something. Kei didn't quite know, he pretty much zoned out to their conversation, pulling out a brush with his healthy hand before setting his bag down on the floor. 

He had too many thoughts running through his head, even more beginning to arise after seeing the way Kuroo and Terushima greeted each other. Maybe he'd been overthinking their earlier conversation? From the looks of it, his soulmate was just naturally affectionate with people, so it probably meant nothing that he hugged him and carried him. For a moment, he'd been considering showing his soulmate mark to Tetsurou, but now he was even more reluctant to admit his relationship to them.

As the two talked, Kei gently brushed his hair and then his tail, not paying attention to whatever it was they were saying nor even glancing in their direction. His fur was long as a cat and his tail was no different, so following a game he liked to brush the fur there so that it still was smooth and nice like usual. He had to brush the hair on his head as well because Terushima had messed it up, and he didn't like the feeling of people's hands near his ears. Unless he was really close with someone, he didn't like it when people touched his ears or tail, and he wanted to try and get rid of the memory of the feeling. Perhaps it seemed vain to brush his hair and tail out in public, but in his opinion it was just like how bird hybrids preened their wings and picked out any loose feathers after a game — it just felt more comfortable. Besides, it was a good distraction from the two males in front of him while he waited for the nurse to be ready to see him and check out his ankle, and gave him a reason not to look up and meet their gaze.

Moments later, the door opened and three guys walked out, one of them being supported by the other two and limping out with his knee bandaged up. Kei glanced up after putting the brush back in his bag, his eyes widening when he saw a familiar face at the door of the infirmary. "Iwaizumi, from Aoba Johsai? You work here?" he asked, looking up at the wolf hybrid in confusion. 

Iwaizumi seemed to take a moment before lighting up in recognition, smiling kindly at him. "Yeah, that's me. I'm just helping out in the infirmary since I'm studying to become a physical therapist and nurse for sporting teams, and it's good practice working with sporting injuries here. There's a fully trained guy in here too, of course. I remember you though, you were that first year from Dateko that caused us so many issues in that match before we faced Karasuno a few years ago. Tsukishima, right? And you're with Terushima from Johzenji, quite the reunion considering we're in Tokyo, I must say... anyway, what seems to be the problem. Is it just your hand today, or is it something else?" 

"My hand, and I injured my ankle as well," he explained, his ears perking up. It was a relief to see a familiar face, especially when it was beginning to be difficult to be alone with Kuroo and Terushima with the way his heart was aching. "I think my pinky is broken, well, I'm not quite sure, but there's definitely something wrong with it, and I split the skin between my ring finger and pinky too. The ankle came when I stuffed up the landing after my pinky was hurt, I rolled it, and then I was stubborn and walked on it when I probably shouldn't have." 

The ex ace nodded and walked over, offering out a hand for him to help him up. "You should be keeping off that," Iwaizumi agreed, "so I'll help you in there and we can take a look at it, yeah?"

For a moment, Tsukishima glanced over at Kuroo and Terushima, his eyes meeting the dark haired male's for a moment. There was a strange look in those eyes, it was probably just worry, but if Kei wasn't mistaken he would have sworn he saw jealousy and even longing. That probably wasn't ever going to be the case, though, it was just wishful thinking and his exhaustion playing tricks on him. "Thank you for helping me earlier, I appreciate it. It was nice meeting you, Kuroo-san, I'll see you around," he said softly, moving his bag to his shoulder before standing up with Iwaizumi's help. He didn't look back at Tetsurou, not wanting to see the look he would have. Even if Kuroo had guessed they were soulmates, he didn't know for sure. It was better for them all if he didn't try to interrupt their relationship, and if he just never saw them again then it would be for the best, right?

"Karasuno's game later... you're going to watch it, right? We were going to watch some of it before it's time for Lev's next game, so will you sit with us?" Tetsurou's voice called out. Kei stopped walking, Iwaizumi supporting him so he didn't fall over, and Kuroo walked over with his phone out and opened to the contacts application, giving him a hopeful smile. "I'm sure Mori would love to meet you, and Lev would like talking to you more as well. Even if it's not today, incase you need to get something looked at in hospital or something, can I get your number? That way we can meet up in the next couple days before you head back down to Miyagi," he said kindly, that caring and warm smile from earlier there once more. It was almost enough to bring a smile to his own face, but hearing him also made his heart ache more. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle being around them for longer, knowing that they were his soulmates and were out of his reach.

Honestly, Kei didn't know what to do or how to react. Sure, plenty of girls and even some guys came up to him asking if they had matching soulmate marks, but when he was actually faced with one of his soulmates, he hadn't been prepared. He knew he shouldn't, he knew it would only hurt more if he stayed in contact, but a large part of him wanted to be close to his soulmates even if it would hurt. With a shaky hand, he entered his phone number into the phone, giving it back to Kuroo without looking up. "I'll see how things go, but I don't know if I'll be able to sit with you guys... I should get checked out now though, it does hurt a lot," Tsukishima replied — much colder than he'd intended — before biting his lip and looking down guiltily. "Sorry, Kuroo-san," he whispered, turning away and making his way into the infirmary. It was hard enough as it was to even be around him, and he didn't think he was strong enough to handle being around both Lev and their other soulmate 'Morisuke' today at least.

x-X-x

"How the hell do you manage to get a broken pinky finger and grade two ankle sprain? I can't believe that this happened to you all of people, Tsukki!" Terushima said teasingly, poking the blond's side lightly and once again ruffling his hair. "You're always so careful and cautious about everything, if anything I'd expect Tadashi's redhead teammate to be the one getting injured with all the jumping he does. He always was a klutz."

Kei hissed at him, stopping walking and lightly whacking the back of his leg with one his crutches before continuing to head to the winged male's car. "Don't touch my hair, asshole, you know I hate it when you accidentally mess with my ears. Look, I can't believe I got stuck with you taking me to the hospital, yet here we both are. I would have thought you'd want to spend every moment you could with your soulmates while they're in Tokyo," he replied, his ears twitching in annoyance. Following his check in at the infirmary, Iwaizumi had told him to go to hospital to get his hand x-rayed so they could see how bad the injury was. He'd thought it was broken, but they weren't able to tell how bad it was until they saw the x-ray, and luckily the break wasn't too bad. "Seriously though, why were you so insistent on taking me? You don't even like me that much."

Terushima rolled his eyes and shook his head. "If I truly didn't like you, you wouldn't be moving in with me next year for uni. Favours to Tadashi and need for a roommate be damned, I wouldn't just take in any random guy if I hated them," he pointed out, unlocking the car and waiting for Tsukishima to get in before putting the crutches in the back. The blond sat down, looking down and beginning to brush his hair once more until the older was in the drivers seat. It wasn't until they were already driving that he began to speak once more, giving Kei a kind smile for a moment before focusing on the road. 

"You're a good guy, Tsukishima, I truly believe that even if I do like to get on your nerves a lot. I know there's a lot that you don't like telling people, that you don't like being vulnerable around others, but I'm here for you if there's anything going on inside that head of yours."

Kei raised an eyebrow, resting his brush in his lap and crossing his arms as he let out a heavy sigh. "And why, do tell, would you care at all about what's going on in my life? Even if you don't hate me, it doesn't mean you like me either. There's nothing to gain from helping me out," he retorted, not glaring, but not looking particularly happy either. 

"You're basically going to be my brother in law, and like I mentioned earlier, we are going to be roommates. I don't know why you've got it in your head that I don't like you, because I actually quite like our banter, and you're good company. You can trust me to keep things secret, Tsukishima, I promise. Now, what's been eating you up?" Terushima asked, giving him another small smile, and occasionally glancing over to let him know he would actually pay attention to him if he decided to speak.

The younger male thought for a moment, looking down. There was actually something he wanted to ask, seeming as Terushima was the only person he knew who had any experience in a situation similar to his, and what someone that he at least somewhat trusted. He was just unsure if he should, considering that the other was soulmates with Tadashi and was likely to spill anything and everything he said to him. He stayed silent, shaking his head and frowning. No, there was no way he would be explaining everything right now, not when he was too filled with emotions to be making rational decisions.

x-X-x

After having a hot bath, his muscles didn't ache as much, and he was able to properly wash and brush his hair and tail as well. It was difficult with his broken pinky and sprained ankle, but he managed well enough. The rest of that night was spent with his team, having dinner together and just hanging out in their room. They were all upset, it all hurt, but they were in it together and nobody faulted anyone else for being upset. Most of the team went on the bus home in the morning (it saved costs since they got their money back if they went home earlier, and there was no need for them to stay), aside from Kei who would stick around and go back with Karasuno, staying with Terushima for the next few days. 

Kei had been surprised to find he had gotten a text from Kuroo the next morning, his heart clenching at the thought. The other male had messaged him to ask if he would be going to the stadium and to see where to meet up, asking what his injuries were, and telling him Lev asked if he was alright as well. Despite how cold he'd been when he left the day before, Tsukishima hadn't intended to be that way, and it appeared that Kuroo had seen through him or was too stubborn to admit defeat so soon. 

The hurt from yesterday was still fresh in his heart, but Kei felt he was more prepared to face things with this new day. The initial shock had died down, and he'd had some time to think through things overnight. Well, he had felt he was more prepared, but that was quickly changing because he was getting anxious as a result of the messages and how to respond to them. He was probably overthinking things, but Kei knew that the older was in a relationship with their other two soulmates already. Kuroo didn't know for certain their relationship and had no obligation to message him, but he had reached out and shown concern to him, and now Tsukishima didn't know if he even wanted to answer, if he was going to be able to bring himself to. After leaving them on read for half an hour while he went to have breakfast, he finally added Kuroo's number to his contacts and sent him a reply. He would deny that he had to rewrite it about ten times, and just hoped that Kuroo wasn't watching him type it out in wait for a reply. 

Tsukishima: Good morning, Kuroo-san (and Haiba-san too?). I appreciate the concern, and things are alright with me. I don't exactly feel like going, but knowing Terushima and the Karasuno guys I don't have a choice in the matter. I'll probably be around where they are, so I guess I'll be seeing you there?

In a way, his wish was answered; twenty minutes later when he was in the car with Terushima and Kiyoko, he had yet to receive a message in reply. It wasn't as if it was unusual, perhaps Kuroo was driving or in the shower or any number of reasons that he couldn't have been on his phone, and Tsukishima hadn't exactly been quick to reply either. His heart sunk, the more emotional and vulnerable part of him thinking that maybe he had ruined things after all, believing that there was no reason Tetsurou would really want to text him when he was who he was — just plain, boring, domestic Kei. He was beginning to have second thoughts about going to watch a match with Kuroo today (he'd heard from Hinata that Nekoma had advanced too), wondering if the other had realised how annoying he was and wanted nothing to do with him, or if he'd not want him around and bothering him and Lev and Morisuke. 

The whole time he was in the car he was waiting anxiously, checking his phone to see if the message had been read yet or there was a sign of a message being typed out. Tsukishima shook his head, sighing softly and fiddling with the hem of his beige turtleneck as Terushima pulled up at the venue and parked the car. The day hadn't even begun and he was annoyed at himself already, making sure his hair was brushed and he looked presentable (too worried about what his soulmates and others would think), only to get insecure about if he looked alright and overthinking everything once again. He hated that he was so fussed about his appearance, it made him feel selfish and vain, but he also hated how he looked no matter what. He wasn't as much of a twig as he was in his first year, but he still was lean and not really with as muscular a build as Kuroo and Lev appeared to have. It, along with his fluffy tail and ears, was a constant reminder that he was a domestic breed and lesser than the others.

The both of them along with Kiyoko got out the car, heading inside and to the section to meet up with Tadashi and Yachi before Yamaguchi's game later that morning, Kei using crutches to make his way along. The venue was crowded already, and it was difficult to get around without bumping into people. In his efforts to dodge the crowd, he found himself taking a slightly different way than Terushima and Kiyoko, and before he knew it he'd lost sight of the pair. Normally getting separated wouldn't be an issue, seeming as he was extremely tall and could see over the crowd, but he wasn't standing at his full height because of the crutches and it was volleyball nationals, meaning there were plenty of tall people around.

He looked around searching for a glimpse of the familiar dirty blond of Terushima's dyed hair, or his or Kiyoko's wings; he was frozen in place, gaze flickering through the crowds before him, yet there didn't seem to be anyone that he knew around. It wasn't often that he felt this way—crowds weren't usually an issue for him—but in such a large complex that he was unfamiliar with, with an injured ankle and crutches that meant he couldn't take out his phone and text someone to help him. Besides, it was getting close to the time when the Karasuno team would be warming up and getting ready for their game, so there would be no going to Tadashi for help. With a heavy sigh, he looked down and began to headed in the direction of the chairs to sit down. He didn't actually know where the game was, and trying to navigate the way through the crowd didn't seem like a good idea. 

"Tsukishima-san? Tsukishima-san!"

In an instant, Kei's ears perked up, and once again he stopped walking as he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. Looking over, he met the beautiful green eyes of none other than Haiba Lev, the half-Russian smiling widely at him. By his side was a shorter, brown haired male, looking between the blond and Lev. Tsukishima knew this was Morisuke, having seen him from a distance yesterday and seeming as his hand was held gently in Lev's larger one, and he couldn't deny that the male was just as handsome (if not more) than the other two.

He found his mind caught in limbo, stuck between the comprehension that he was meeting the last of his soulmates and thinking 'don't mess up, you can't mess this up', and that of all people that had found him it was these two. Especially since Kuroo hadn't sent him a response, he wasn't quite sure how this had ended up happening. "Good morning, Haiba-san. And, uh, it's nice to meet you," Kei said, giving Morisuke a nod in greeting since he was unsure if Morisuke was his first or last name and didn't want to be rude to him

"Tsukishima was it? I'm Yaku Morisuke, the pleasure is all mine," he said, holding out his hand to shake and giving him a smile. "I apologise for anything that my soulmates might have done. As smart as Tetsurou can be, him and Lev have the tendency to act before they speak, and sometimes it's like the concept of boundaries doesn't exist."

Kei did his best to hide the pang of hurt he felt when he heard the second part, plastering on a smile and giving his hand a gentle shake with his good hand. "It's fine, there's no need to worry Yaku-san. I'm used to people constantly surrounding me without a choice, and they weren't nearly as bad as what I'm used to," he replied, cringing at the slight strain in his voice and looking back at the silver haired male. "Congratulations on your second win yesterday, I heard that you played quite well."

Yaku furrowed his eyebrows, and Tsukishima presumed he was a little unsure about how to take what he had said. If he had any questions or concerns, he didn't voice them, but his eyes didn't leave him. 

Lev responded much differently, oblivious to it, humming softly in agreement and nodding. "Please, just Lev is fine, it's what everyone calls me. And thanks! Yeah, I was pretty happy with how we played yesterday too. I wish you didn't have to get injured, it was so much fun playing against your team. You're extremely good when it comes to blocking, I don't think we would have had the same outcome if you'd stayed on the court. It's clear you led your team well, you should be proud of the effort you put in. Sorry about your finger, by the way, is it alright? And your ankle? I would have come after you too, but Tetsu didn't think it was a good idea."

"That's nice of you to say, Lev-san..." he mumbled, shrugging and not really believing the other teen's words. He was never one for compliments, let alone ones from his soulmates. He didn't want to get the wrong idea from them, to get his hopes up. "And yes, I'm alright, there's no need to apologise for something that was my own stupid mistake. It's just an ankle sprain and a broken pinky, not too much to fuss about. Speaking of which, where is Kuroo-san?"

The taller male frowned a little at the part when he said it wasn't anything to fuss, but didn't bring it up, instead snorting at the mention of the bed headed male. "Oh, that? He checked his phone when he got here and ran off, I think saying something about Karasuno's match. He and Bokuto were always all buddy buddy with Hinata, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was going to wish them luck or something," Lev explained, shrugging and giving him a kind smile. "Who knows? My match isn't until a bit later on though, so we were going to watch it too. Do you want to watch it with us, Tsukishima-san?"

The blond thought for a moment, his heart fluttering at the thought that Kuroo had probably ran off to try and find him, and after a moment of seeing the hopeful look in Lev's eyes he nodded slowly. "I don't have anything better to do, and I don't exactly know my way around, so I suppose I can come along..."

Lev brightened immeasurably, nodding and tugging on Yaku's arm excitedly. "Yes! Tsukki is gonna sit with us Mori, isn't that great? It's going to be so much fun. Oh, can I call you Tsukki? It's cute, don't you think? Or just Tsukishima? I don't mind, whatever you're fine with is fine with me!"

"I guess that's fine, just don't overuse it," he muttered, taking a step towards them and allowing them to lead him to where they would sit for the game without looking at the other's reaction. Normally he wouldn't allow such things such as nicknames, especially when it signified that he was probably considered a friend by him, but with Lev it felt like there needed to be an exception, especially since he'd made one for Kuroo as well. After all, there was no way he could say no when Lev had been looking at him with such excitement over a small thing like a nickname, and like Kei agreeing to it would make him the happiest guy alive.

x-X-x

By the time he arrived at the seats (having taken much longer because it was hard to go up and down stairs with only one usable foot), the game had just begun. Kuroo was already there, and the moment his eyes lay on Kei with his soulmates he grinned and gestured for them to come over. Somehow, he ended up seated between Kuroo and Lev, meaning there was not much of a way to avoid conversation with at least one of them. 

He sat down first, eyes fixed intently on the game as he tried to block out the hugs and kisses and greetings his soulmates were exchanging. He'd thought it would be fine, that he would be able to be around them even knowing he wasn't a part of that, and on one hand it was. Kei was truly happy for them, to see how well they were doing with each other and know that he wouldn't be ruining the good that they shared with his presence, but he also wished that the kindness they extended to him wasn't just because they were friends but because they wanted him to be a part of what they had as well. 

The other team scored a point with a jump serve, one of the Karasuno second years messing up a receive. Kuroo was still busy talking to Lev about something that he still blocked out, and out of the corner of his eyes he saw them kiss again just as the point was scored. Even as he scoffed, he wasn't sure if he was doing it because of the loss against Karasuno and that they were one point down already, or because he was jealous. 

Either way, Tetsurou and Lev finally sat down in their seats and turned their attention to him, and he was immediately greeted with a flurry of apologies from the bed headed male for not responding to his text whilst Lev asked what had happened in the game. Rolling his eyes, he addressed Lev first, whispering a quick 'service ace' before looking to the other.

His smile was sheepish yet eager, eyes full of light (as they should be, Kei knew those eyes should never be full of sadness, the thought was just wrong), and any annoyance he had previously felt seemed to be slipping away with every passing second. "It's fine, you had good intentions and Lev found me so it all worked out in the end," he said, looking down and fidgeting with his fingers while doing his best to avoid bumping his pinky.

"Yeah, it did! And we're all here now, which is good. We're friends now, so it'd suck if we couldn't hang out. And I really wanted you to meet Lev and Mori, so I'm glad that could happen," Kuroo chirped, lightly patting his shoulder. Kei couldn't see the smile, but he knew that it was there from the tone of voice he used. He just couldn't bring himself to look back up, not with the way Kuroo (and the other two, he could feel their eyes on him) were looking at him. 

He was just so confused; he didn't know what he wanted, how to act around them, whether to come clean or just keep it all in. He didn't want to push them away, but he didn't want to let them in only to get hurt when they told him they didn't want him, and he felt they were deserving of his thankfulness after everything they'd done when he was just a complete stranger. "Mhm, friends..." he muttered, shrugging and quietly clapping as Hinata got a solid spike in.

The game continued on like that, it was a tough one for Karasuno and their opponents. Kuroo and Lev talked to him a lot, blabbering on about whatever they felt like. It was kind of nice, how they wouldn't force him to talk and seemed to get that he preferred to listen. It was just easy to be around them, even more so as the game went on, and they could talk about what was going on. To his surprise, Tetsurou related a lot to the points he was making, and even when it had seemed that he hadn't been paying attention to the game he pointed out things that Kei had only just noticed. Occasionally, he found himself smiling a bit at the jokes him and Lev made, and the times where Yaku would interrupt their conversation to 'remind' the pair about something that had happened (usually stupid or embarrassing things). Surprisingly, Yaku was the one that had the brightest laughter, and when he smiled it was as joyful and warm than any other Kei had seen. 

Tsukishima liked how he could be around them. He liked the ease and the enjoyment and how well they all interacted, he liked being friends with them and getting to know them. Yet, hearing all of these stories and seeing how the other three knew each other inside out made him feel like he shouldn't have been there. It was times like this that he wished he could have been sitting on the end, so that they could have talked and left him out and then he wouldn't have felt guilty breaking it all off. It was too late for that now, that much he was sure of. He was sent straight to the friend zone, and that was all his fault.

As the game ended, Karasuno the victors, he was quick to stand up in an effort to leave. All of these negative emotions were starting to build up again, and he didn't want to ruin the good mood the three of them seemed to be in. Plastering on a smile, he looked at them, a confused look on the silver haired male's face and a frown on Tetsurou's.

Why? He just didn't get why they were looking at him like that, why Yaku looked like he wanted to say something (as if he wanted to call out for him to stay), why him being around made such a difference when they were happy as they were. His smile faltered, and he knew he couldn't hide the way his ears pressed flat to his head at the thought of going from them so soon. Tsukishima wanted to stay, but he wanted to go, to break it all off before he got hurt even more. He was afraid of what he didn't understand, but he was even more afraid of putting in the effort only to end up losing thrice as much as he gave. 

"I want to go and see Tadashi, he did some really great jump floaters in that game and I want to congratulate him," he tried to explain, gripping the handles of his crutches tightly. 

Kuroo stood up, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a worried smile. "We can go with you, we can all go together. There's still plenty of time left in the day and more matches. Lev's will start in less than an hour, you can come watch it with Mori and I if you'd like?"

"It's okay, I wouldn't want to interrupt your time together any longer. I've already used up a lot of your morning, I wouldn't want to be a third wheel and ruin the rest of the day," he replied quietly, refusing to look up at Kuroo. He didn't want him to see the hurt in his eyes, to know how much it was killing him to stay away because a part of him knew that if their eyes met and Tetsurou asked him to stay with them a second time, he would. 

It was just like the day before all over again, pushing them away because he couldn't handle things. He was eighteen now, legally and adult, yet when it came to this it was like all sense of rationality went out the window. His voice strained, he kept on speaking, hoping maybe he could ease the blow and that this could just be a like a good dream, pleasant and fleeting. "Good luck with your game, Haiba-san, I'm sure you'll do well. And thank you for the help yesterday, Kuroo-san. And, Haiba-san, for calling out to me today. And for being patient with me on the way here, Yaku-san. And for putting up with me during the game. You guys are really great, it was the most fun I've had with people other than my team for a long time."

"Stay safe, then, alright?" 

Upon hearing Tetsurou's voice once more, he couldn't stop himself from doing what he'd tried not to do. Kei looked up, hazel eyes meeting glazed honey brown. "I get it, I know that it's hard. You're not the type of person to trust easily, and we don't know your past experiences, so it might be hard to be around us for so long. If it makes you uncomfortable and it's what making you want to leave, we can stop any PDA while you're around. I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but I do know that we enjoyed it a lot as well. So, don't be afraid to let us know if you want to hang out again, okay? You're our friend," Kuroo said gently, pulling away and giving him a closed eye smile. 

Tsukishima wished he could have brought himself to answer, but no words seemed to come out. Instead, he just turned on his heel, walking away for a second time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few months have passed, and Kei begins to adjust to life in Tokyo. Things don’t go as expected.

"So, my favourite salty cat, are you excited for your first day at work?" Terushima asked, giving him a smile and resting a mug of tea on the table in front of where Kei was sitting. "I know you're not a morning person, but try to cheer up. It's not a good impression if you look half dead and like you would rather not be there, I can assure you that." The Maine coon hybrid was currently reading through a news article on his phone, looking up at his roommate and rolling his eyes. 

"You only say that because on the night before your first day, you got wasted and threw up in the car the next day, meaning you were late since you had to get a new change of clothes and shower. I'm surprised that place hasn't gotten rid of you yet, even if you are a half decent tattoo artist," he replied, setting down his phone and picking up the mug instead. "I wouldn't say excited for work, but I'm not unhappy about it either. I checked the café out yesterday, the coffee was good, as was the shortcake."

The winged male snickered, poking his cheek and returning back to the kitchen to get the eggs and toast he'd made for breakfast. Terushima wasn't around for dinner most nights, and so made breakfast, while Kei made dinner of which leftovers were usually reheated for lunch. "Of course you would try the shortcake. You and your shortcake, eh? Who would have thought you'd be such a sweet tooth with that salty personality of yours?"

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his drink and immediately spitting it back into the mug. "Look, I was about to say thanks for helping me out with job searching and for vouching for me to your friend, but not when you make me this piss-water. You call this shit tea? It's lukewarm, the leaves are still at the bottom, there's way too much milk, and not nearly enough sugar. If you didn't make breakfast so well, I'd question why Tadashi and the others even stick-" Before he could continue, Kei cut himself off, biting his lip and looking down when he realised what he was about to say. "Nevermind, sorry."

Terushima furrowed his eyebrows, looking towards the blond confusedly. He knew what Kei had been about to say, of course, Tsukishima was sure of it. He probably was just wondering why he hadn't finished his sentence, when nothing had ever stopped him from being rude before. 

In all honesty, it had been present in the back of his mind since the Nationals tournament earlier year--that Terushima was probably the person that would understand him the best with this whole mess of a soulmate situation. A few months had passed since then, and though he had Kuroo's number, he found himself hesitant to call or text. The raven hadn't attempted to either, probably taking the way Kei left as a rejection of friendship or something. Knowing that loneliness made it hard for the taller male to even joke about soulmates, because he knew that it wasn't easy for Terushima to be so far away from the rest of the members of his soul bond.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm crappy at making tea. Hi-chan always gets on my case for it, you don't need to remind me," Terushima said eventually, giving Kei a softer smile. The expression was odd, coming from him, but it made it clear that he hadn't been bothered at all by the comment and to move on. Even if he wasn't used to seeing that softer side, it was comforting at least, because it meant that Tadashi would be well taken care of, and maybe it wouldn't be so bad to open up to the blond about the whole situation one day. "Anyways, I was actually hoping you could help me with that? Then I can make them all the ultimate breakfast in bed when I go down and visit next."

Kei shrugged, taking the plate from Terushima as he sat down on the other side of the table. "Help you learn to make tea? Sure, I guess, if it means I don't have to drink that rubbish ever again. I don't even know how you managed to make it that badly," he replied, taking a bite of his food. "Yachi is right for getting on your case if you always make it like that."

The older male playfully rolled his eyes, eating some of his own breakfast. "At least my cooking is good, right? You've eaten every time I've cooked, surely that means something, coming from you?"

"Terushima, I hate to break it to you, but everything that you cook is extremely simple and not hard to mess up. I'm not often hungry in the mornings anyway, so I can't be bothered to cook my own breakfast when you can do the same thing for me. I already cook dinner and make my own lunch, so making another meal on top of that feels like a lot of effort to maintain everyday," he explained with a sigh, checking the time on his phone. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for my first day at work. Thanks for breakfast, I guess."

"Hang on, you can't go just yet! You had, like, two bites of food. You need to eat more, Tsukki!"

The blond rolled his eyes, his fluffy ears flicking as he stood up and pushed his chair under the table anyways. "I don't feel very hungry, and I don't want to overeat and feel sick before work. I'm not having the same thing that happened to you, happening to me."

"But you need energy for work, Tsukki. Food gives you energy, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Terushima retorted, frowning at him from his seat at the table. "Geez, what am I going to do with you. Is it that hard to have breakfast?"

"Look, I just have to fake having energy, it's that simple. I'm already tired, and breakfast isn't going to change that. Like you said, it's not a good impression if I look half dead and like I don't want to be there. Therefore, the least I can do is clean up and at least look like I'm bright eyed and ready for the day."

With that, he left the room, not turning back even despite Terushima's continued insistence that he have at least a little more food. Tsukishima had a long day ahead of him; and just how much that was true, he was yet to learn.

x-X-x

Kei really hoped that things would go alright. He knew how to work at a cafe, having had a part time job back in Miyagi in his third year of highschool, but he was still going to have to adjust to an unfamiliar environment, with unfamiliar people—both customers and co-workers. 

Arriving at the cafe early, before it opened, there weren't too many people around yet, though he didn't doubt that would change once it was a little later in the morning and people were buying their morning coffee before work. Still, of the people walking along, only one was wearing the cafe's uniform—plain white shirt and black pants—and he had a face that was more than familiar. Judging by the fact that he was waiting at the door, he was probably the person who would be showing Tsukishima the ropes and working during the same shift as him this morning.

Well, if it was any consolation, Yaku Morisuke did seem to be generally pretty calm, and the sort of person he'd want to be working with. Of course, his only judgement of that had been that day when they watched Karasuno's game, and that was a few months ago now. A lot could have changed since then, and Kei had no idea how the brown haired male was going to react to seeing him again after he left so coldly.

The blond would be lying if he said he wasn't at all nervous, finding out he had this to deal with on top of starting a new job, but he wasn't planning on letting that get in the way of things going smoothly today. Deep down, a part of him was excited that he'd get to spend a little bit of time with Yaku alone, a part of him that wanted to be a part of the relationship his soulmates had with each other.

As he approached the cafe, Yaku was quick to spot him, the older male smiling warmly at him and walking over to meet Tsukishima. The warmth in his expression didn't seem like it was faked, either, which was a little surprising considering how he left last time, but it was nice seeing that smile, and knowing it was his soulmate smiling at him like that. "Tsukishima, it's good to see you again."

"Good morning, Yaku-san," he replied softly, his voice smaller than he would have liked. "It's...it's nice to see you too."

For a moment, there was silence, and Tsukishima was worried he'd somehow made a mistake. There was something about the shorter male that made him feel like he couldn't hide his feelings, like the slightest hesitation would allow Yaku to unravel him and expose his hidden truths with ease. His expression was gentle, his eyes trained on the blond for a while longer, and Kei looked back just as intently until it became hard to bear and he pulled his gaze away. 

"I didn't know you worked here," Tsukishima muttered, words hesitant; they bordered on shy, almost.

The attempt at conversation was rather pathetic, if he said so himself, and he hoped that he wasn't giving away too many of his feelings through his ears and tail. He was never really good with talking and getting to know people, especially since this time he actually cared about the person he was getting to know. Tsukishima didn't want to mess up, not when he already didn't think he had a chance with his soulmates, and Yaku was going to be his co-worker. 

Thankfully, the brown haired male didn't take too long to reply, his expression softening when Kei looked away—not that Kei saw it. "Really? I thought Terushima would have mentioned it, seeming he was the one who was asking me about free positions. I have to admit, I was surprised he was asking for you, though. Tetsurou said he doesn't often go out of his way to do things for people, aside from his soulmates, and you don't seem like the type of person he usually hangs out with, either."

Kei shook his head, shrugging a little. "Terushima didn't mention anything, unsurprisingly. I room with him, so we get along well enough, I guess," he said. Maybe it was a little more than 'well enough', but there was no way Tsukishima was ever admitting he had a soft spot for Terushima. "I didn't see you when I came here yesterday afternoon, either."

"Really? I must have been out back when you were there, then. I've been working here since my third year of highschool, and throughout uni, so the manager usually gets me to train any new staff. Often I'm working out front on the drinks, but recently I've been baking some of our desserts," Yaku explained, gesturing for Kei to follow him and leading him inside the shop. "What'd you think? Not too shabby for a small cafe in Tokyo, but then again, you don't seem like the type of person who would want to work somewhere that was."

It wasn't too small, but not too big either. Cosy was probably the word he'd use to describe it, with not many bright colours aside from the occasional pops of green from a few plants. It was the type of place he'd come to sit at and study if it wasn't too busy, his music blocking out most of the background noise and the smell of coffee familiar enough to help him relax. Maybe it was Yaku that was making him relax, but Tsukishima didn't think working there would be too bad, based on first impressions. "The coffee was pretty good, and, I, uh, I really liked the strawberry shortcake... it was by far the best I've had since coming to Tokyo actually."

His cheeks felt a little warm, and Kei was nervous to have given up that small piece of detail. It wasn't that embarrassing, really, but for some reason people had always treated it like it was. As if the idea of Tsukishima's favourite food being a dessert was strange—laughable, almost—simply because of his cold personality. 

Yaku wasn't laughing, though, instead smiling warmly when he heard Tsukishima's words. "Hey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about, Tsukishima. I'm rather fond of shortcake myself, even if it can be a little time consuming to make. I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much."

The blond blinked, trying to hold back the small smile that was threatening to appear as he noticed a slight tint of pink on the older male's cheeks. "You were the one that made it? That's amazing, Yaku-san."

"I did, just yesterday morning. And thank you, but it's really no big deal. Anyone can follow a recipe." 

"You don't get shortcake that good just by following a recipe. The texture of the cake itself was lovely, and the balance of flavour was even better, not overly sweet like a lot of places tend to do. You'll have to show me how you do it one day, if it's not too much of a bother."

Yaku's cheeks flushed a brighter shade of pink upon hearing that, and paired with how he was lightly scratching the back of his neck, it didn't take much for Tsukishima to realise that he was probably blushing because of the compliment. Cute.

(Though, he did have to try not to let his eyes linger on the soulmate mark that was on Yaku's right arm. Lev's had been on his arm too, and Kuroo's he was uncertain of, but the thought that maybe he was the only person in their bond who didn't have the pawprint markings on his arm briefly crossed his mind. It hurt, and he didn't want to feel hurt when things were going so well at the moment.)

"Shucks, that's really, really kind of you to say," Yaku replied, turning around to lead him behind the counter. It was probably a good thing, because Tsukishima couldn't help but smile a little bit. "Just let me know when you're free, and I'll be more than happy to teach you."

"I will, thank you Yaku-san," he said quietly, taking a deep breath to collect himself.

Now that they had begun talking some, he felt much more relaxed than he usually did around someone he'd only talked to on one other occasion. It scared Tsukishima how fast he was becoming attached to his soulmates, how comfortable they made him feel. It seemed like each time he was alone with one of them, he was sharing things about himself he usually kept secret. First Lev, then Kuroo, and now Yaku.

"Anyways, here behind the counter is where you'll be working most days," the brown haired male said, gesturing to the register and the coffee machine. "On busy days, there'll be someone taking orders and working the register while another person makes drinks. When it's quiet or someone is on break, often the person behind the counter will do both. I know from your resume that you worked part time at a coffee shop before, so all of this should be pretty familiar for you."

Tsukishima nodded, looking over the machine. It was made by a different company than the one at his old work, but everything seemed pretty similar. "Do you mind if I have a go using it before customers arrive?" When Yaku nodded in approval, the blond headed to the fridge, taking out a bottle of milk. "I could make something for you, if you want... so you can see if it's alright, or something. How do you take your coffee?"

"I don't actually like coffee, I never really have. Tetsurou says it's a shame, but that's just since he's the only one of us that drinks it. But if you still wanted to make something, I wouldn't say no to a hot chocolate," Yaku said, leaning back on the counter and watching the blond as he began to work, trying not to overthink things too much in his effort to make a good beverage. A hot chocolate wasn't a hard drink to make, and the shop did have a good quality machine, so he was sure it would be fine. Probably, but there would always be that small seed of doubt that he wasn't good enough, or that something would go wrong. 

Trying to get his mind off it, his thoughts wandered to his soulmate. For some reason, he found the fact that Yaku liked hot chocolate and not coffee just made sense. Yaku had a comforting presence, one full of warmth. He made strawberry shortcake and blushed when he was genuinely complimented. Kei hadn't heard it yet that day, but he remembered Yaku had this bright, wonderful laugh. 

It had barely been fifteen minutes since he'd arrived, but that was more than enough time for Kei to find himself reserving a very special place in his heart for Yaku.

A soft, thoughtful hum broke him from his thoughts, and as Tsukishima finished up the beverage, he turned his attention back to the brown haired male, who was still watching him.

Kei looked down at the drink and tried to think back and remember if there was anything that he'd forgotten. Was it because he hadn't put in any marshmallows? No, that didn't explain the strange look that Yaku was giving him at all, it must have been something else. "Am I doing something wrong?" 

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm not used to just standing around doing nothing. It's been a while since someone else made me a hot chocolate, since I'm usually the one making drinks for other people, you know? And you just seemed at ease, almost happy, when you were making it," Yaku explained softly, walking over and gently picking up the mug to take a sip with a smile. "This is really good, thank you. You'll do great today, I'm sure of it."

The blond looked away, shrugging slightly and not saying anything in response. He wasn't used to people being this supportive of him, not when he wasn't anyone special. 

It reminded him all too much of the way that Lev and Kuroo had complimented him, and that was cause for his heart to ache. Kuroo had been more than kind to him, and not to say that Lev and Yaku hadn't been, but Kei suspected he'd hurt the raven most by leaving that day. The thought that he'd hurt Kuroo only made him feel more like he didn't belong (since he was bound to hurt them all if he was around them). More than that, the very thought of Kuroo made him ache in longing for the older male. He didn't ever want to admit how many nights he'd remembered how it felt to be hugged by the raven, and wished he could be back there.

Maybe Yaku didn't seem to have a problem with him after last time, but Kei was afraid of seeing Kuroo and knowing what he'd done. The fear was irrational, and he knew by staying away it was only going to make things worse, and his heart clenched. It ached, and all the guilt returned just as fresh as it had been the day he left, and suddenly all the happiness he'd felt was gone. 

"Tsukishima, is everything alright?"

The blond flinched, taking a step away when he felt Yaku's hand on his arm and heard the male's voice. Vaguely, he was aware of how his ears had flattened during the time he was thinking, and hated how easily his body language gave away his feelings. "I'm fine, Yaku-san," he replied, glancing back at the shorter.

Yaku's expression was worried, caring even, but the male's raised eyebrow made it clear he didn't believe his reply at all. It was fair enough, Tsukishima didn't even believe it himself, and he was the one trying to convince Yaku, not the other way around. "I didn't mean to upset you with what I said, you really will do wonderfully today, Tsukishima. I wouldn't have said anything if I didn't mean it. And if anything does go wrong, well, it's your first day, and I'm here to help out if you need it."

Slowly, Kei took a step forward again, and he nodded, letting out a sigh. "I...thank you, Yaku-san. Sorry for reacting badly, I guess I'm just a little unsure about all of this. Everything about Tokyo is new—not having any friends, living somewhere new, having a new job, preparing for going to university—and I'm still adjusting to it all. It's easier to let things get to you when you feel out of place, I guess." It wasn't exactly explaining why he'd felt upset, but it wasn't a lie either, and Tsukishima hoped that Yaku would recognise the effort to open up at least a little bit.

"That's okay, Tsukishima, you don't need to be sorry. I can't say I know how that feels, having so much change around you, but I do understand that it's not going to be easy. You just take your time getting used to things, there's no shame in that," the older said, giving him a gentle smile. "I don't know if this is of any interest to you, since I don't even know what university you're going to, but Tokyo University has a volleyball team. Tetsurou and I are a part of it, and Lev's trying out, so if you wanted to come along it might be fun and a chance to meet some new people. At the very least, volleyball is volleyball, and it'd be something familiar, which might help with the change."

Tsukishima took a moment to think once Yaku was finished speaking, slowly feeling a little more relaxed. That did sound nice, but the thought of seeing Kuroo and Lev again was daunting, incredibly so. "I'll definitely consider it," he replied, looking down at his hand, and the small scar left behind from that match against Lev. He hadn't played since then, either, and trying out for the team when he hadn't seemed like it would only end badly. 

"I'll consider it," he repeated, but even then, Tsukishima wasn't too sure. As much as he was hesitant to do so, Tsukishima thought that just maybe, Terushima might be able to help him decide.

But when Yaku was smiling at him like that, maybe his decision was already made, after all.

x-X-x

After about twenty more minutes, it was time for the store to open. Tsukishima had assisted Yaku in wiping down the counter and the tables, and preparing the room for service, while another one of their co-workers arrived and got to work in the back making some more goods for their dessert cabinet.

There were already a few customers outside waiting by opening, but at least that meant Tsukishima could get his head down and begin working without having his mind stray to more negative thoughts again. 

As it was his first day and the morning rush was rather bad, Yaku had taken on the role of making the drinks whilst Kei manned the counter. It involved taking orders and serving any items from the display that the customers ordered, and despite social interaction not being his favourite, he was grateful that he didn't have to face the pressure of making that many beverages in such a short space of time on his first day. 

The customers tended to be rather nice, most of them regulars who knew he was a new staff member as they hadn't seen him before. Maybe if it was quieter he'd be willing to indulge in a small conversation with some of them, but there wasn't time for that right now. The rush just seemed to go on and on, and Kei somewhat regretted not having had more of the breakfast Terushima made him, even when his roommate had tried to convince him to.

After about two hours, things finally started to calm down. There were still plenty of customers in store, but they were seated and had ordered or received their food and drinks. Letting out a sigh of relief, Kei leaned against the counter, glancing over at Yaku. The older male was still making drinks, but seemed to be finishing up the last few. 

Tsukishima didn't mean to be rude and stare, but he couldn't find it within himself to look away when there wasn't much else to do at the moment. Yaku seemed comfortable in his job, confident too, and he was friendly when he gave the customers their drinks. He knew that since Yaku was his soulmate, he was probably allowed to stare a little, but it wasn't like Yaku knew that, so then again maybe it wasn't. It was all too easy to admire the way the warm lighting of the cafe moved along his soft looking hair, or the way Yaku's ears and tail moved, making his confidence all too clear. 

He supposed the confidence was understandable, especially as a tiger hybrid. Yaku was much shorter compared to Tsukishima, Kuroo and Lev, but he wasn't actually short, but more of an average height. He was still strong, and his height didn't have an effect on the respect that Kei could tell most people felt for him.

It was probably more respect than Kei would ever receive in his whole life.

Kei admired that about Yaku though. He seemed to have earned that respect as a result of his personality, not just because he was born as a hybrid that was considered strong and respectable. It just made it hard on those days where he looked at his mark, and reminded himself he was just a domestic cat. Kei was not viewed as strong, or respected like they were, but as stuck up, demanding and vain. 

In the end, the blond was just thankful for more customers coming in store. That kept him busy enough at least, and it would prevent his mind from wandering again. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the slight worry prevalent on Yaku's face—he'd obviously noticed him spacing out and overthinking again—but he didn't have the time to care about that now.

The woman who'd entered was also a cat hybrid of some sort. She was petite, though seemed to be not much younger than he was, and she was rather pretty as well, with short brown hair and a nice smile. By the look on her face—that same hopeful look he always received when people wanted to ask him annoying questions like 'may I see your soulmate mark'—he already knew what was coming. It was just too bad he swung the other way, and had his attention on the three guys that were his own soulmates.

Still, Kei at least knew the importance of good customer service, and he wasn't about to chuck the poor girl out. "Welcome to The Haven, what would you like to order today?" Tsukishima asked, looking down at the register to input her order (and try to avoid looking at her any more than necessary).

"I haven't been here before, so what would you recommend that I order?" she asked sweetly, giving him a bright smile as he looked over and their eyes met. He could tell Yaku was watching to see how he would handle it, and that meant he was hesitant to just say 'I already know who my soulmate is' if she did ask. He wasn't sure what to do, but he didn't really like the situation much, one of his ears twitching a little.

A prolonged conversation wasn't exactly ideal, though, even if Kei did respect that she didn't just come up and ask it with no intention to order (like many people had back in Miyagi had done). "It's actually my first day, so I haven't had a chance to try too much. But, I do know that Yaku can make any drink taste wonderful, so just go with whatever you feel like."

"You flatter me too much, Tsukishima," Yaku interjected, walking over from handing his last customer their drink and giving her a smile. "What sort of thing do you feel like? I'd recommend anything from the shelf here, and as for drinks, Tsukki makes really good hot chocolate."

Kei's attention snapped to Yaku when he heard his voice. He had the situation handled, so he wasn't sure why the older male felt the need to interrupt. Still, the girl seemed to have taken her attention off of him for the moment, which he was grateful for. After a minute, Yaku had finished serving her food and had come over with her order for a drink. "She wants hot chocolate, and was asking about your soulmate mark. Before you say anything I know you were handling it all fine, but you seemed a little agitated, and you've been at the counter all morning so far, so I figured I'd take over for a while."

He wasn't sure what surprised him most; the fact that Yaku had actually noticed his agitation, or the fact he had stepped in, or that he'd called him Tsukki, just like Kuroo and Lev had. Either way, there wasn't much time to consider the small details as he poured most of his concentration into making the drink. "Thanks, Yaku."

"It's no problem, Tsukishima. I said that I'd be here, didn't I?" he said with a smile, glancing towards the girl who was standing aside and fidgeting with her sleeve. "She's cute, and she seems like a sweet girl, too. Do you think she'd be your soulmate?"

Kei scoffed, shaking his head. Was Yaku seriously having this conversation, with him of all people? Tsukishima thought he'd been much too obvious, but apparently the older male was more dense than he'd thought. Unlike Kuroo, who had seemed to know already, Yaku seemed to be genuinely asking. "Nope. I'm not the slightest bit interested in girls, and when they come up to the counter like that... I don't particularly enjoy it, when the only reason they do it is because of the way I look."

Yaku nodded, humming in understanding and thinking for a moment. "Still, isn't it worth asking, with the chance that one of them might be your soulmate? Even if your soulmate is a girl, there are plenty of people who have platonic soulmates," he pointed out. The words only made Tsukishima scowl, the blond's ears twitching once again. 

"I can assure you that none of the people that come up asking are going to be my soulmate, Yaku-san." Opening up about personal things was hard enough as is, and he was surprised himself to have admitted that much, even if his tone had been cold when he said it. He knew Yaku meant well, but when he was already struggling enough to figure out his own feelings and deal with the soulmate situation, it didn't help in the slightest. 

"I'm sorry for prying... I just... nevermind." The brown haired make frowned a little, sighing softly. "This isn't really a conversation to be having in the middle of a shift, anyways. I guess it's a touchy subject for you, but, if you ever need anyone to talk to about it, my door is always open," Yaku said softly, giving him a small smile and turning to take another order.

Kei frowned as he finished up the drink, only nodding silently. He couldn't trust himself to speak, not right now. Right now, he was annoyed at himself, his insecurities, and his inability to deal with the whole soulmate situation. It would have been so much easier if he'd just told Lev after the match, told Kuroo when it was so blatantly clear what they were, but he'd dug himself this hole now, and he was too stubborn to just admit it. And, well, there was no way he was going to be telling all of this to Yaku just yet, or trying to explain to Yamaguchi, and he’d probably stuffed things with Kuroo, who was the only one who seemed to have figured it out. 

He hated to admit it, but he had finally run out of reasons not to talk to Terushima, when the blond was the one person who would probably understand the best. 

Handing over the finished drink, he politely explained to the woman that he had more drinks to make and didn't have time to talk. She seemed sad, but understood, seeming as Yaku had just finished taking customer's orders, and more people had come up to the counter to order. Slowly, the realisation came upon him that Yaku had known this would happen, and that the woman wouldn't get the chance to talk to him about anything. Tsukishima turned to look at him, but before he could say anything, Yaku just smiled, and told him the next order of drinks.

Following the incident, the rest of his shift went surprisingly well. He finished at midday, just as some of the other people had come in to start their shifts. Tsukishima wasn't sure if he was surprised to see Oikawa Tooru of all people walking in, but at this point he felt it would probably be easier to accept his horrible luck when it came to running into people. Along with Oikawa was the pretty dark haired male that had been the barista the day before, who introduced himself as Akaashi.

There wasn't much of a chance for them to speak, however, as the pair did need to begin their shifts to deal with the lunch rush. Kei wasn't complaining; he'd done more than enough socialising for one day, and he just wanted to get away from the cafe. Away from Yaku, more precisely, who was going to be on his lunch break very soon. It was highly unlikely that the tiger hybrid had actually believed his excuse about having somewhere to be that afternoon, but he didn't seem to press the matter, only telling him he'd done really well and to stay safe, all with that warm smile and kind look in his eyes.

Tsukishima left The Haven, his cheeks warm, and his heart beating just a little bit faster. 

x-X-x

It wasn't that far of a walk to the tattoo parlour that Terushima walked at, taking him about twenty minutes to arrive there. There was still another hour or so before his shift was meant to end, which could end up being longer if he had a piece that took a long time to do. Over the past two weeks, Kei had begun to accustom himself to the changing nature of time that came with Terushima's job. Still, he had his music and his phone, and hopefully he could just wait it out without too much bother. He could have gone some other place, but considering his track record, he'd rather not run into Lev or Kuroo out and about, or have Terushima leave with a friend and be gone the whole afternoon.

But as he stepped inside the building, Kei wondered how exactly he could be so stupid to have forgotten something so significant as the reason why exactly Terushima knew Kuroo. The moment he entered, his eyes met with Kuroo, who had just finished up receiving payment from a customer. 

Tsukishima was the first to look away, not daring to move otherwise. He'd been so caught up in thinking about Yaku that he'd not considered the possibility that Kuroo could have also been working that day, and by going to the shop, they might run into each other. The man Kuroo had been talking to was quick to leave, and that left the two of them alone in the room. 

Despite being scared to look up, Kei did it anyway, watching as Kuroo made his way over. There was a strange expression on the dark haired male's face, a mixture of surprise, happiness, and a little bit of hurt. "Tsukki. I'm guessing you're here to see Terushima?"

"Kuroo." Kei bit his lip, looking away for a moment, but then returning his gaze to Kuroo's hazel eyes. Being face to face with him again, it made Kei remember the last time they'd spoken, the way he'd left, and the guilt of that came back fresh. "Mhm, I need to talk to him about something. But, I also... do you, uh, have any time to talk?"

The blond had blurted it out before he lost the confidence to do so, and seeing the way Kuroo's expression softened, he was somewhat glad that he had. "Yeah, I do. It's about time for me to take a break for lunch," he replied gently, giving Kei a small smile. "Have you eaten yet? My place is only a few minutes from here, we could talk over lunch?"

"No, not yet. That's kind of you to offer, but I wouldn't want to intrude on you any more than I already have."

He didn't know how he'd expected Kuroo to react, but he certainly hadn't expected the other to place his hand on Kei's hair, gently ruffling it. Not once did his hand brush against Tsukishima's ears, and briefly, he wondered if Kuroo remembered that he hadn't liked it when Terushima had done it back outside the infirmary. "There you go again, being all negative. If I'm offering, you're not being an intrusion," he said softly, lightly flicking his forehead before moving his hand away. "Now come on, let's go before there's no more time for us to talk."

Wordlessly, Tsukishima nodded, following behind Kuroo as he made his way out the shop. The feeling of the other male's hand in his hair still lingered, and he felt just that little bit more confused than he had before. He was almost certain Kuroo knew, so why was he bothering to be so kind after Kei had left and walked away? 

"How have you been?" he asked quietly, not wanting the silence to grow any more and allow him to continue to overthink.

Kuroo turned his gaze to him, shrugging a little and smiling. "Not much different, really. Work, playing volleyball with friends, doing commissions. I don't think I mentioned last time, but I'm an art major at Tokyo University—this'll be my third year."

"No, you didn't mention that. I'm a little surprised, I wouldn't have pegged you as an artsy person," Kei replied, idly fiddling with the strap of his bag as he walked. "But in a way, it suits you, in that you don't really seem to care about what people think of you. If that makes sense, I mean."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Kuroo replied, smiling a little wider. The look in his eyes made Tsukishima feel a little nervous; there was too much care for someone who he'd only talked to on a total of three separate occasions. "What about you, what brings you to Tokyo, Tsukki?"

"There's not much to say, really. I got offered a scholarship to Tokyo Uni a while back, not long before nationals, and it was the best option all round so I went for it," he said with a shrug, following Kuroo into an apartment complex. It had been decided and finalised before he met them, so the soulmate situation hadn't played a role in his choice. "I'm a music major. I'm considering trying out for the team, too, but I wasn't so sure about that."

"A music major? I can imagine that, pretty easily actually. And by team, you mean volleyball, right?" When Tsukishima nodded in response, the raven beamed, nodding immediately. "Hell yes, we need more good middle blockers on the team. From what's left of last year's team who haven't graduated, we've pretty much got me, and that's it in terms of blocking. From what I remember, your diving receives and serves could use a bit more work, but I don't think you'll have a problem making it on the team." 

Well, that put an end to the deliberation of trying out for volleyball. If Kuroo and Yaku wanted him to, he wasn't going to say no. Yaku had made a good point about volleyball being something familiar, and having a routine of training and games would create a sense of normality as he got used to university life. "If you really want me to, I'll try out, then."

"Great! I'll let Coach know, she'll be glad to know there's at least two more potential middle blockers for the team," the older male said, his tail swaying behind him slowly. He seemed genuinely really happy that Kei had agreed, and Tsukishima couldn't help but find it endearing. "I’ll text you with more exact details later, though, because if I can’t remember when exactly it is just off the top of my head. Anyways, this is it, home sweet home! Excuse any mess, we weren't expecting guests, and Lev and Yakkun... they tend to leave things lying around."

That was more than enough to snap Kei out from his mushy thoughts, and back into reality. Of course they would all live together, it was only natural for them to do so as soulmates and as a couple, and there was no reason for them to withhold from doing so just because it made Tsukishima feel jealous and lonely. He was happy that they got to experience that joy, even if it hurt that they already had so many experiences that he didn't get to be a part of.

"Oh, no, it's fine. Terushima is pretty bad too, as is my brother, so I'm kind of used to it," Tsukishima assured him, waiting for Kuroo to unlock the door and let them in. At least if it was messy, he could pretend for a little while like he belonged. As they entered, Tsukishima took off his shoes, leaving them at the door. It wasn't really that messy, to be honest, just enough to make it feel lived in. There were a few paintings and photographs hung up on the wall, and looking at the floor, he could tell there was fur on the carpet. It was definitely his soulmate's home, that much was clear. "It's a nice place, Kuroo."

Tetsurou looked back over at him, giving him a smile. "Thanks, Tsukki. You're welcome to come over any time, by the way," he said, humming as he gestured for Kei to follow him down the hallway and into the kitchen. "Yakkun and I made some tuna onigiri yesterday, so we can have that for lunch if you'd like. Or we can talk first, that's okay too, I don't mind."

"It's probably best if we talk first," Kei said, taking a deep breath and then sighing as he looked down. There was no going back now, he knew that very well. Tsukishima had messed up, and he’d spent the last few months stressing over what would happen if they met again. He didn’t want to further push away Kuroo, not when Kuroo seemed to truly care even despite what happened last time. "If there's a place we can sit down and talk, and it won't waste your lunch break, that is."

"Yeah, of course. And I promise, you're not wasting my lunch break, Tsukki. I'm really glad I got to see you again... I honestly wasn't sure if I would, and I didn't know whether or not to text you in case that only made things worse." Tetsurou placed a hand on his shoulder, and instinctively, Kei looked back up at him. The older male gave him a reassuring smile, shaking his head. "Don't you be sorry about what happened, it was just as much my fault as it was yours. Come on, let's sit down. You can start whenever you’re ready too, Tsukki."

Quietly, Kei followed him over to a couch in the living room, sitting down beside Kuroo and looking over at him. He wasn't sure where to begin, but the other male didn't try to force it, only smiling reassuringly and waiting for him to be ready to speak. After about a minute, Tsukishima began to speak, words quiet and hesitant, unable to refrain from sharing some of the pent up feelings and guilt. "Sorry, for walking away that day, for not keeping in touch. I never meant to hurt you, Kuroo, really. I was hurt and scared of so many things, things that I didn’t even know for certain. You and the others were nothing but kind, and I guess that scared me. It still does, a little, because you break down my walls and I can't help but open up and admit things like this, and it's so unlike me. Usually it takes a lot longer for me to form any sort of relationship, and suddenly having three people want me around... the only option that made sense to me at the time was to leave."

The panther hybrid didn't reply immediately, seeming to be in thought for a moment, before he moved a little closer and pulled Kei in for a hug again. Just like the first time they'd met, the hug was warm, and Kuroo's scent was calming, and it just felt right. "When you walked away again, it did hurt, I don't want to lie about that. But I don't blame you for that, either. As much as I care, we still don't know each other that well, and because that has yet to happen, it's understandable that you'd be hesitant, especially when the three of us are as open as we are. I'm sorry too, and if you'll give me the chance, I'd like it if we could get to know each other. No expectations, and no rush, just whatever you're comfortable with."

Slowly, Kei pulled away from the hug a little, looking into Kuroo's eyes. He found it hard to understand how the older male could just forgive him like that, how he could apologise like that too when Kei was clearly the main issue here, how he could be so accommodating for him. But, when he saw the smile on Tetsurou's face, and the look in those hazel eyes, Tsukishima knew that he was completely serious, about all of it. He hadn't even properly acknowledged the fact that they were soulmates, but the blond knew that Kuroo knew, and that in itself spoke volumes. 

"What if it takes me too long?" Tsukishima asked softly, not once looking away. "Or what if I hurt you again? There are so many things that could go wrong, so many unknowns-"

"But what if it's worth it, Tsukki? There are so many things that can go right, too, I can promise you that. Someone is always going to get hurt eventually; people fight, have misunderstandings, and life makes things hard. And when someone's feelings get hurt, you need to be able to apologise or forgive and work through it. Running away won't make things better, it'll just make all the people involved hurt more," Kuroo whispered, gently running his hand through the blond's hair once more and giving him a smile. "I ran away once, when I was really angry and upset at Morisuke and Lev. They felt one way about something important, and I disagreed, so I left. I didn't talk to them for a week, until we finally talked through everything. It's been about three years, and I still don't agree, and I never really got over it, even if I understand where they were coming from. The point is, I understand more than you think I do, and that's why I'm asking you to at least give me a chance to be your friend."

"Kuroo, I-" The words caught in his throat, but Kuroo didn't stop smiling, patient and willing to give him time to speak just like before. It was hard to speak, when Tetsurou was looking at him like that, but the blond was unwilling to look away. 

And so, he did the only thing that seemed to make sense, wrapping his arms around the older male and burying his head in the crook of his neck. "I think I can do that, yes," he murmured, closing his eyes as Kuroo returned the hug, gently rubbing his back. "Thank you, Kuroo."

"Thank you too, Tsukki, for giving me a chance," Tetsurou replied gently. The hug continued for a while, until Tsukishima had relaxed completely in his arms, and when the blond pulled away, Kuroo gave Kei a smile. "Now, how about we have lunch, yeah?"

The blond nodded, standing up and following Kuroo back to the kitchen. The older male took out a plate from the fridge, on which there were a few neatly made onigiri. He placed two on another plate, offering it to Tsukshima with another warm smile. The food did look nice, and after not having had much to eat for breakfast and a long morning, having homemade onigiri was really appealing. Once they both had their plates, Kuroo headed over to the table and sat down, Tsukishima following suit and sitting across from him as they started to eat.

Initially, Kei wasn't quite sure what to do; even if Kuroo had said that there was no pressure with any of this, it still felt a little awkward. It wasn't until after he finished his first onigiri that Tsukishima finally spoke up, Kuroo listening attentively when he did so. "Uh, so, I was wondering... Since you do tattoos for other people, do you have any yourself? I get that sometimes it's personal, so you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I was just curious."

Finishing his bite of food, Kuroo nodded, moving to slip off his denim jacket and holding out his arms for the blond to see, eyes not leaving Kei. 

"No, I don't mind. You'd have seen them soon enough, anyways, and it’s probably for the best you see now," he said softly, almost hesitantly. "It took me a while to actually get one, simply because I wasn't sure what I wanted. But, a couple of months ago, it finally came to me. So, I just have these two for the moment. I'm not getting more until after I get the third one, but that might take a while. I don't mind waiting, though, even if it means I never get another tattoo." 

There was no explanation required for Tsukishima to know exactly what he meant. On his arms were copies of Lev's and Yaku's soulmate marks, identical to the original in both shape and size. The difference was the colouring and patterns on the pawprints; no doubt designed specifically based off of the original's owner. 

On Kuroo's left arm, the pawprints were outlined in a beautiful shade of green, reminiscent of Lev's eye colour, instead of each paw print being plain back. Inside the outline of the top pawprint, there was a sunflower. The second pawprint had a mountain inside it, and the third had a pattern of dots and lines. The very bottom pawprint had a number of words filling the inside, and appeared to be incomplete. Some appeared to be qualities that Lev had—'brave' and 'loyal' for example—while the others didn't really make much sense at all, such as 'snowflake' and 'mountain'. Tsukishima supposed they related to memories that Kuroo considered important, as there was a mountain on the second pawprint, but didn't want to pry. It would make sense, though, since there was still more room left inside the pawprint for more words to be added.

Kuroo's right arm was similar, though instead of green, the pawprints were outlined in a deep shade of red. This time, it was the second pawprint that had words written in it, not the last, meaning that one had to be Yaku's pawprint. Yaku's words were different than Lev's, but Kei didn't take the time to read them all. The first pawprint had a pink flower he wasn't sure of, the third pawprint had another, different pattern of dots and lines, and inside the fourth was a sunset with a tree in the foreground. 

"Oh," was all that Tsukishima could bring himself to say. As he looked between the two tattoos for a final time, he couldn't help but notice something he hadn't quite picked up on before when it came to their soulmate marks. Each pawprint on Lev's tattoo corresponded to their front left pawprint when in their animal forms, and each in Yaku's corresponded to the front right. He didn't know where Kuroo's mark was, but Kei's was on his left thigh, and he was willing to bet Kuroo's was on his right thigh. 

That left only one option that made sense; that each member of their bond had a soulmate mark that corresponded to a different paw. His eyes widened, and he looked up at the older male, biting his lip. "Oh.”

"Yeah," Kuroo said softly, giving the blond a smile as he slipped his jacket back on. "I designed them myself, Lev and Yaku helped with the outline of course, though Terushima did the actual tattoo."

Tsukishima nodded in understanding, letting out a shaky breath. It was just another thing to take in, especially with the realisation that came along with it about the nature of their soul marks. Still, he was glad he'd seen it now, rather than having to be surprised by it later on. Kei didn’t know how he would have reacted if he’d first seen them by accident or in public. 

Looking down, Kei tried to think of something to say, anything, other than just ‘oh’. "The lines and dots, are they morse code?"

"Yeah, they are. I'm surprised you realised that, since Yaku and Lev haven't, but when translated it's a special message from me to them. They only know about the messages through what the flowers mean--sunflowers for loyalty, and pink zinnias for lasting affection," he explained, continuing to eat his lunch, while Kei sat in silence for a while longer, just thinking.

"You really are something, Kuroo," the blond muttered eventually, his heart skipping a beat when he heard a soft chuckle from across the table. Tsukishima glanced up, raising an eyebrow in question, only to find Kuroo smiling brightly at him, his ears perked up. "Hm?"

"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry. I'm just happy you're here, is all." Maybe it wasn't the whole of the truth, but Tetsurou wasn't lying when he'd said he was happy, Kei could tell that much. A small smile appeared on the blond's face, and though they didn't have much longer until Kuroo had to go back, Tsukishima felt a lot better than he had before. 

And maybe the whole soulmate situation was still a mess, but even despite that, at least in this moment here with Tetsurou, he didn't feel so alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, first proper interaction with Yaku done, and more time with Kuroo! This was really fun to write, so I hope you all enjoyed :3
> 
> Thanks for all the support! Reading your comments makes me feel really happy, I love hearing what you guys think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terushima and Tsukishima talk. Later, a little bit of perspective from Kuroo.

By the time he and Kuroo had arrived back at the tattoo parlour, Terushima was just about to walk out. He seemed surprised to see Tsukishima with the dark haired male, but smiled nonetheless, giving them a wave. "Hey Kuroo, Tsukki!"

"Terushima, hey! It's good that we caught you before you left. Tsukki wanted to talk to you about something, but since you were busy and it was my lunch break, we went back to my place to get something to eat," Kuroo explained, wrapping his arm around Kei's shoulder and smiling. "We had fun, didn't we, Tsukki?"

Kei felt his cheeks grow a little warmer at the sudden contact, and gently shoved off the older male's arm, nodding as he did so. "I suppose it wasn't the most horrible thing, and it was nice to relax after work," he muttered, glancing away when he noticed the smug way Terushima was looking at him. 

"Oh, yeah, I was meaning to ask about that," Kuroo said, tilting his head slightly. "Your uniform, you work at The Haven, right? Yakkun works there too, and he did mention about having someone new starting this morning... did that go well?"

The blond was a little surprised that Kuroo had paid that much attention, but nodded anyways, his heart beating a little faster at the thought of that morning. More specifically, Yaku, those little, more intimate moments they had shared, and how kind the brown haired male had been to him during his first shift. "Oh, yeah, uh, it was fine," Tsukishima said, his fluffy tail beginning to sway slowly behind him, indicating his happiness. "Yaku is good to work with. He's very encouraging, it reminded me a bit of you if I'm honest, but thanks to him it all went very smoothly. Everyone seems to respect him a lot."

"Yaku's just good with people like that, most of the time anyways. He's the type of person that always stands up for what he feels is right, and he's helped people on more than one occasion because of that. He doesn't let people tell him what to do or how to live his life, either. He lives by his own values, and the people who spend a bit of time with him recognise that, and they respect him for that. At least, that's my opinion. Don't tell him that though, it'll make him all embarrassed," Tetsurou replied with a laugh, the look on his face incredibly soft. Kei wasn't sure if it was meant to be directed at him, or if it was because of Yaku; maybe it was both. "I'm glad you two get along so well, though, and that your first day went well. I'm sure you did wonderfully, Tsukki."

There was a tenderness in Kuroo's voice, and though he knew that he probably shouldn't feel this way when he hadn't even verbally acknowledged that they were soulmates, he couldn't help but feel it all the same. It was hard not to like Kuroo and Yaku, not just because they were Tsukishima's soulmates, but just because of the people that they were. Tsukishima, on the other hand...the voice in the back of his head reminded him that he was different. He wasn't someone people considered kind, or that they respected, or wanted to even take the time to get to know.

Looking away, his gaze fell on Terushima, who had taken a few steps back and was just watching their interaction with an unusual expression. Kei only saw it for a moment, but it seemed as if he'd been thinking really deeply about something, or at least that he knew something they didn't. It was odd, and it immediately made the blond feel more defensive. He had been planning to talk to Terushima in regards to the whole soulmate thing, but having the other see that moment between Kuroo and himself didn't quite settle right. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is me hanging out and having a pleasant conversation with a friend that hard to believe?"

"When it's you, yes it is hard to believe, especially when that friend is Kuroo. You usually seem to hate people like him and I who never stop bothering you, so the fact that you willingly went to his apartment with him for lunch... if I'm not mistaken, I think you have a soft spot for the both of us," Terushima said with a laugh, Kuroo chuckling a little beside him. 

After seeing the incredulous look Kei gave him, Kuroo laughed once more, letting out a relaxed sigh. "Don't worry Tsukki, Terushima is just being mean," the panther hybrid explained with a smile, ruffling Kei's hair lightly. There was a fondness in his gaze, and despite having only just worked things out, Tsukishima couldn't help but feel comfortable with the small bits of affection from Kuroo. He liked it a lot, actually, though there was no way he was going to admit that any time soon. "He's jealous that you like spending time with me more than him. I don't blame you, though, as I clearly have the better smile, and the better hair."

The part about having better hair was enough to cause Tsukishima to snicker, rolling his eyes playfully at Kuroo. "I already have to put up with him because we're roommates, so spending time with him isn't a choice. And as much as I would like to disagree with the hair statement, I don't really like blonds that much, especially when I know for a fact that Terushima dyes his hair. I'm not even going to ask how yours ended up so messy, but at least it's natural," he said, the sides of his lips curling up slightly when he saw Terushima's pout and Tetsurou's grin.

"You didn't deny that you like spending time with me, though, even if my tea tastes like piss water. And since you seem to like spending time with both me and Kuroo, that means you're going to have to hang out with us sometimes, no objections," Terushima replied, laughing when he saw the 'annoyed' glare Tsukishima was giving him. (At this point, the winged male knew him well enough to tell that he wasn't actually that annoyed, but just wanted to appear so to avoid having to agree to things). "Anyways, as nice as this is, Kuroo needs to get to work. There's a customer inside just looking at some of our designs at the moment, so he has to go and do his job, yeah?"

Tetsurou nodded, smiling as he turned to make eye contact with Tsukishima. "I'm afraid that I do have to get back in there, sorry. Thank you for talking with me, really, it means much more to me than you know. I'll text you the details about volleyball trials once my shift is over, kay? But for now, I gotta get going," he whispered, ruffling Kei's hair one last time for the day, and for once, the blond leaned into the touch.

"I'll be waiting, Kuroo. Talk to you soon," Tsukishima said, giving him a small smile for a moment before pulling away and turning to walk behind Terushima. As he did so, he turned back once more to look at Kuroo, the dark haired male giving him a smile and waving before heading back inside.

Once he was, Kei began to make his way to the car, but Terushima stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Okay, what the hell was that?" he exclaimed, looking up at Kei expectantly, almost angrily. "And don't give me bullshit about being friends, because you clearly like him. He's already in a relationship with his soulmates, Tsukki, one of whom you work with. It's all well and good that you like someone, but you can't have him, you understand that right?"

Unable to take it, Tsukishima looked away, pulling his arm away from Terushima. The other was probably just annoyed because Kuroo and Yaku were his friends, but that didn't mean the words cut deep in Kei's heart all the same. 'That's right, he's already in a relationship. You can't just expect that you'll be accepted into that, especially after hiding this from them. Even if Kuroo understands why you didn't say anything, Yaku and Lev are two whole other people.'

"Of course I understand that I can't have him, but it's not that simple, Terushima. You did the tattoos on his arms, right? Then you should have figured out that their soul bond has four people, not just three."

"You're not serious right now, right?" Terushima's eyes widened, and as their eyes met once again, the anger slowly faded from his expression, and a more understanding one was left in its place. "Oh, god, you're serious. Is that why you wanted to talk to me?"

Kei could only nod, biting his lip. Here wasn't the place he wanted to have this conversation, not in the slightest. The older male sighed softly, gesturing for him to follow, and in silence they made their way to the car. The car ride back to the apartment was just as quiet, the radio filling the void, but not making it any less awkward. Tsukishima just wanted this conversation to be over and done with.

x-X-x

Once they had entered the house and were both sitting down on the couch, Terushima let out a small sigh, gently placing his hand on his arm. Kei was quick to pull away, his ears flicking in annoyance, but he didn't break eye contact. When he didn't speak up, Terushima did so instead, his voice calm. "So, you're soulmates, huh? I should have figured it out sooner... it didn't make sense that Kuroo was with you outside the infirmary, when I knew you two hadn't met before. And that afternoon, you weren't just upset because of the volleyball match or because you got injured, it was because of them. Why, though? Surely they wouldn't have rejected you-"

"They didn't," Tsukishima interjected, biting his lip once again and sighing. "They didn't reject me. I saw that they were already in a relationship, that they were already happy, and I couldn't bring myself to tell them that I was their soulmate too. I think Kuroo had a hunch from the beginning, because when I asked why he went out to help me, he said it was because he had a feeling that he didn't want me to be alone. I was going to tell him, but by then I think he already knew for certain even if I hadn't admitted it. I still haven't admitted it. Like you said, they're already in a relationship, and I work with Yaku, so getting involved would only interfere and make things hard. They don't need me, especially when they're who they are, and I'm who I am."

In an instant, the mood in the room completely changed into a more sombre one, and Terushima was the one to look away this time. He was silent for a while, and when he looked back, he seemed sad--broken, almost. It was the most vulnerable that Kei had ever seen him. "Staying away from them isn't going to make anything better, you know? Trying to pretend it doesn't bother you, when really you're more lonely than anyone realises, it just kills you slowly. It makes even the happy moments with them feel sad," he whispered, voice thick with emotion. 

The words resonated deeply with Kei. It was just like that morning, when he couldn't help but think of the negative, even when he was with Yaku and he shouldn't have felt sad. Tsukishima had thought that the other might understand, but he never imagined that it would be to that extent. "And when you're alone, all you can think about is how happy they were. And how they could have been happy like that without you there, and it makes you question whether you even have a place with them," Kei replied softly, slowly moving closer to Terushima and gesturing for him to talk. He needed to talk about everything, but at least he had Kuroo who understood; Kei didn't think Terushima had shared this to anyone, and clearly, he was going through a lot as well, or had done in the past.

The older male pulled his legs to his chest, wrapping his wings around himself as he continued speaking. "But of course, I could never admit that to them. In the moments I do get with them, I don't want to taint them with my own stupid worries, or make them feel like their love isn't enough. It's me that's the problem. I'm the annoying one, I'm the one that they can live without. They waited to meet me, and we all got into the relationship together, but they were always closer to each other than they were to me. They had so much time together, while I was the one they only saw once every couple of weeks when they weren't busy. And since they didn't know me well, it was easy to smile and pretend it didn't hurt, because they hadn't learnt to tell the difference between real and fake. That's why I moved away, to Tokyo, even when I had options back in Sendai. The distance meant that over the past two years, they haven't been able to see me very often. I could blame my hurt on the distance, and it was easier to pretend, especially when our main form of communication was texting."

It was a lot to take in, and for once, Tsukishima didn't have an answer to give. Words didn't seem to be the right response in this situation. And so, slowly, he closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around the other blond. Terushima seemed surprised, but leaned into the hug, resting his head on Kei's chest and letting a few tears fall down. "I'm sorry, I know you wanted to talk, but I just don't know what to do anymore. Sometimes, it feels like I've put so much distance between us that there isn't any chance of coming back. We have a group chat we all talk in pretty frequently, but outside of that, Tadashi is the only one I really talk to one on one. Ki-chan and Hi-chan are usually busy working in their bakery, and it feels like whenever I reach out they have to do something and can't talk. It's rare either of them text me first, and it makes me feel like I just annoy them when I do."

"Yuuji, you're not really that annoying, you know? I act annoyed, but you were right, I don't mind spending time with you that much. And I don't really talk to Yachi or Shimizu very much, but I do talk to Tadashi a lot, and ever since I moved, every time we talk he asks how you're going. Even when I was still living back there, he always complained about how he didn't get to see you much anymore and that he hated how you lived so far away," Kei said truthfully, awkwardly patting his head and hoping he was doing something to help. "Maybe it's hypocritical of me, seeming as before today I pretty much ignored my soulmates, but it did actually help a little when I talked to Kuroo about how I felt. But, I'm still terrified to tell them, I still have the same fears that you do about being annoying and not belonging. They all seem so happy, so in love with each other, and I can't see how I could ever become a part of something that seems like it's already set in stone, and I don't want that to change and for them to want me there just because I'm their soulmate. You, though, they already took you in, they already want you. You can't change the things that have happened, but you can at least try to close that distance. Give them the chance to prove you wrong, Yuuji, because I know they wouldn't want you to be needlessly putting yourself through this pain any longer."

Once he'd finished speaking, it was silent for a moment, before Kei found himself being hugged tightly by Terushima. As much as he usually hated any sorts of affection, Tsukishima found he didn't mind it very much, especially when they were both emotionally vulnerable at the moment, and it. "You don't deserve to be sad either, Kei. You shouldn't have to be left out, you shouldn't have to feel like you don't have a place."

Tsukishima laughed sadly, shaking his head and closing his eyes. "But they still got together, didn't they? They didn't think I was worth waiting for, they didn't think they needed me, and even if they regret not waiting it’s too late now. It would hurt more for me to admit who I was, and for them to love me because a mark told them to. You always have a spot with your soulmates, even when you're far away, but me? I barely know anything about them. They've had years to get to know each other, to love each other, and they're happy as is. There's no room in their relationship for a rude, pathetic, domestic hybrid like me. If I hadn't promised Kuroo I'd give him a chance to be friends, I think I'd have ended up moving back, university be damned, because frankly, I’m scared of getting attached only to be rejected at the end."

He hadn't realised that he was crying until he did, and the tears began to slip out accompanied by quiet sobs. Terushima was still crying too, still clinging to him, but the older male moved his wings to be wrapped around both of them. "I can't say I know why they didn't wait for you," he said between sniffles, looking up so that their eyes met, "but I do know that you're not pathetic, and just because you're a domestic, that doesn't lessen your worth one bit. You might be a little cold when you first meet people, but now that I know you a bit better, you're one of the few people that I trust enough to open up to, and I think that says something good about your heart. And knowing that, I think you deserve to be loved by someone for the wonderful person you are. I'll be here for you, even if things with your soulmates don't work out... but if I'm honest, I really think it'll be fine in the end. The fact that Kuroo took the time to talk things through and still isn't forcing you to tell the others, I think he knows you want to be accepted as who you are first, even if it means withholding your status from the others."

The Maine Coon hybrid took a moment to register his words, before he nodded, his tail lightly wrapping around Terushima's waist, hot tears still trailing down his cheeks. "I guess you're right, but that doesn't make it any easier to face them, since every time I do there's always this voice in the back of my head... I'll have to figure out how to deal with it all before tryouts, or my next shift with Yaku, whichever comes first. In the meantime, I'll help you to talk things through with your soulmates, too. Maybe they might be a little hurt that you didn't tell them sooner, but I think it's important that you let them know you're feeling this way. They are your boyfriend and girlfriend's, and even if it's scary, opening up to them will show them you trust them enough to be vulnerable. Anyways, for the moment, how about I teach you how to make tea properly, and we can watch that movie you were talking about the other day. We can give Tadashi a call and try to work out a time for us to go down and visit them once we've finished."

"Who said that you were coldhearted, Tsukki?" the older blond joked quietly, letting out a teary laugh. "They obviously hadn’t been paying any attention, not at all. I think that'd be good. I really do."

Tsukishima halfheartedly rolled his eyes, grunting slightly as he pulled away from the hug, but giving Terushima a small smile anyways. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You helped me out, and I'd rather not be in your debt, so it's the least I can do." Once again, Terushima laughed a little, and as they both wiped his eyes, he spoke up once more. "And Terushima? You can still call me Kei, if you want, seeming as we've somehow become friends."

x-X-x

As it turned out, volleyball tryouts were only a few days away, on Monday afternoon, following Kei's first couple of classes at University. His only shift between now and then was on Saturday afternoon, and that was with Akaashi and another person named Tendou. God, Kei really hoped it wasn't that red-headed guy who went to Shiratorizawa back when he was still in his first year at Dateko (but it probably was, considering his luck). The guy had been scarily good at blocking, but he was much too eccentric for Tsukishima's liking.

In the few days before classes, Kei didn't end up doing much, preferring to stay at home and either read or play piano in his room. It was peaceful, especially since him and Terushima had started getting along a lot better ever since their talk. There wasn't as much of an awkwardness about being roommates anymore, now that they had both established their strange friendship that consisted mostly of friendly banter and staying up late to watch movies. And if Kei was willing to spend some of his video calls to Tadashi with the older male sitting beside him and conversing with them as well, nobody but the three of them had to know. Even the endless teasing from the freckled male about them being friends now was worth it, all things considered, because now Kei didn't feel so alone in Tokyo.

Sure, he always had Kuroo and Yaku and probably Lev, but he didn't want his only friends to be his soulmates. That would be far too emotionally suffocating, as nice as it had been to see Kuroo and Yaku as well.

And so, as he made his way to the cafe for his second shift, Tsukishima hoped that he and Akaashi could get along as well. It would be nice to know someone else in Tokyo, and from seeing him last time he was at The Haven, the owl hybrid seemed like the type of person Kei would naturally get along with. Walking in and behind the counter, he nodded to Akaashi in greeting, and again to Oikawa who was just beginning to leave. "Good afternoon, Akaashi-san," Kei said, standing at the counter as he waited for a customer to come up and order. "How are you today?"

"Tsukishima-san. I'm alright, a little tired, but alright. I'm looking forward to being able to go home, though. How about you? Yaku said your first shift went well, but how have you been since then?" Akaashi replied politely, giving him a tired smile. 

"Pretty good. I haven't done much, mainly just reading and preparing for my first day of university," Kei explained, shrugging a little. "I agree, though, I look forward to my shift being over. As lovely as it is here, working doesn't exactly beat relaxing on the list of things I enjoy doing."

Akaashi nodded, humming softly in understanding, and turning to the door when a customer walked in. "I suppose it's time we get to work, now. But I'd be very interested in hearing about the book you're reading when there's not much to do."

"Yeah, that sounds nice," he replied with a nod, turning to take the customer's order. Once he had, and they had paid for their food and drink, Kei turned to the back bench to toast the customer's banana bread for them whilst Akaashi made their coffee.

The same sort of thing was repeated for the rest of the shift, and to Kei's mild annoyance, there was no sign of the Tendou guy anywhere. Between orders, and talking about books that they both liked, he didn't have much of a chance to ask Akaashi. They were doing alright on their own, but it would have been nice to have another person around to clean tables and wash up the used plates and cups from the people that ate in (a job that Kei had taken up doing himself, seeming as Akaashi could usually handle taking orders and making drinks).

It wasn't until later that he discovered that Tendou was one of the people that made the desserts and other food for the bakery, and had not failed to turn up to work, but was simply doing a different job than what Kei and Akaashi were. He didn't seem to recognise the blond, but Tsukishima knew it was in fact the same person that used to play for Shiratorizawa. 

Once he'd gotten into the rhythm of things, though, the time seemed to go by rather quickly. Akaashi was very good at what he did, and he and Tsukishima worked extremely well together (almost better than Yaku and he had, but that was just because Kei felt too much for Yaku already and hadn't known how to deal with said feelings back when he had his first shift). All too soon, it was almost time for the cafe to close, and there weren't any more customers inside the shop. The sky outside was almost dark, and even though he could take care of himself, Kei still disliked walking home alone in the dark since Tokyo was still unfamiliar to him.

Tsukishima was just finishing up wiping the tables when he heard the door open once more. "Kaashi!" one of them exclaimed, his voice extremely loud despite the fact that the room had previously been silent. He had to hold in a groan, since the last thing he wanted was to have to deal with more customers right before closing, especially loud ones. That was, until he heard another voice. 

"Akaashi can see that you're here, Bo. You don't need to shout." Immediately, his ears perked up; Kei recognised that voice all too well, and as much as he'd wanted to have some time to think before seeing him again, the blond was happy to hear his voice. Finished wiping tables now, Tsukishima turned around, his gaze first landing on a guy with strange hair, and then on one of his soulmates. 

...-...

Kuroo hadn’t been expecting to run into Tsukishima before tryouts for the University volleyball team, even knowing that he worked at The Haven. The only reason he was here was because he’d been hanging out with Bokuto all afternoon, and was tagging along when he was picking up his soulmate from work. As he entered the room, he immediately noticed the blond, a smile making its way to his face, one that only brightened when Tsukishima looked in his direction. "Hey, Tsukki! I didn't know you had a shift today."

“Well, now you do, I guess. It's almost finished, though, so if you want a coffee or anything you're going to have let me know quickly so I can get home,” he replied with a shrug, walking over to Kuroo as Bokuto ran over and pulled Akaashi into a hug. It wasn’t surprising to see the pair like that considering Bokuto’s more affectionate nature, and Akaashi’s fondness for his soulmate. 

"Nah, don’t worry, I didn't come here to buy something. I was just hanging with Bokuto this afternoon, and he always picks Akaashi up from work, so I thought I'd tag along. It was a lucky coincidence that you were here too, though. Anyways, are you doing anything after this?"

"Aside from going home, no. Terushima is going out for drinks, so I was planning on having a quiet night. Why?" the blond asked, raising an eyebrow and walking back over to the counter so he could put away the cloth he'd been using. Kuroo didn’t fail to notice how the blond’s tail swayed slowly, an indication that he was in a pretty good mood, or at least wasn’t annoyed that he’d arrived out of the blue.

"I was just asking, in case you wanted to come over and have dinner with us tonight. We're having grilled salted mackerel pike, it's my favourite," Kuroo explained with a smile, a hopeful edge to his voice. He didn’t actually expect anything to come out of the offer, but he thought it would be nice to spend some more time with Kei, especially with the other two there. "Of course, if you're tired, you don't have to, I just thought I'd offer." 

"Yeah..." Tsukishima said unsurely, giving Kuroo a small smile and grabbing his bag from the back before turning to Akaashi. "I'll text you my thoughts on the book when I've finished reading it. It's been nice talking though, good night, Akaashi."

"See you, Tsukishima," he replied, waving and moving to pull Bokuto into another hug, the older clearly enjoying the affection as he nuzzled the crook of Akaashi’s neck.

With that, Kei moved out, Kuroo walking beside him as they exited and began heading in the direction of his apartment. It was silent until they reached the end of the block, and it wasn’t hard for the raven to tell that Tsukishima thinking a lot. “You never really gave me an answer about whether you wanted to come or not,” he said softly.

Kei blinked slowly, and then nodded, fidgeting with his fingers nervously. “I do want to come,” he said quietly, still not seeming fully confident, and Tetsurou wondered if perhaps it was a little too soon to try hanging out as a group. The last thing he wanted to do was force anything on Tsukishima, especially when the whole soulmate thing wasn’t exactly an easy situation. In the end, he didn’t really mind if it took a while for the blond to warm up to them, as long as Kei was comfortable.

Seeming as he still seemed unsure about this though, Kuroo placed his hand on Kei's arm, bringing them both to a stop. "If you're not comfortable, you don't have to do this. I don't want to force you into a situation you're not ready to handle," he said, voice gentle, but holding enough of a sternness to indicate that he was serious. "If you'd prefer, I can walk you home, and we can just talk for a little while on the way. I've dropped Terushima off before, so I know where it is."

Hearing that option, Tsukishima immediately relaxed, and he nodded. “I'd like that better, thank you," he said quietly, giving Tetsurou a thankful look. 

"Of course, Tsukki, it's not a problem! I want to make sure you're safe and happy, and if I'm honest, I was getting a little ahead of myself by asking that all of a sudden. I really am glad I ran into you, though," Kuroo said, moving his hand away and beginning to walk in the direction of Kei's apartment. 

It would probably take a bit before he was ready to be around all of them at the same time, and Kuroo understood that. Tetsurou was also extremely stubborn, and though he knew it was probably wrong to withhold the fact that Kei was their soulmate from the other two, at the same time, he felt like it wasn’t his place to tell them.

"I'm glad too, Kuroo," he whispered, voice barely audible, but Kuroo’s hearing was good enough to pick up on the sound. He was just lucky that Tsukishima was following behind as they walked, otherwise the blush on Tetsurou’s cheeks would have been impossible to hide. 

...-...

"Uh, anyways, how've you been?" Kei asked tentatively, looking over at Kuroo, who was still leading the way.

"I've been good, I've been a little busy with commissions, but other than that, good. I was taking the afternoon off today, Bokuto and I were playing some volleyball with some old friends of ours, and then we saw a movie.”

The blond hummed softly in understanding, glancing up at the sky while they were waiting to cross a street. He missed the stars that he could see back in Miyagi; the sky was a lot different here in Tokyo, and he missed the comfort the stars gave him on those sleepless nights where he didn't have anyone to talk to. Letting out a small sigh, he looked back at Kuroo, only to find the dark haired male was also looking up at the sky. Illuminated by the street lights, he looked peaceful. To Kei, it was like he was born to live in the night, and his mind couldn't help but wander.

It was easy to imagine spending more time with Kuroo when the raven was standing in front of him. Tsukishima thought it was pitiful, but as he looked to the other male, he could envision late night strolls with him. Nights, where the streets were much quieter than they were now, and they just roamed under the cover of moonlight with no clear destination, hands and tails intertwined.

When Tetsurou finally looked back at him, Kei tore his gaze away, hoping that the darkness meant the embarrassed blush on his cheeks wasn't as obvious. The older male chuckled slightly, gently grabbing his wrist and pulling him across the crossing when it was their turn to do so. "So, Tsukki-chan, how have you been? Are you nervous about starting university?"

Kuroo's voice was low and kind, and Kei felt his heart skip a beat. The dark haired male probably knew what he was doing--Tsukishima was all too obvious with these stupid feelings--so why else would Tetsurou do all these sweet things that made him blush? Calling Kei that stupid nickname, ruffling his hair, the soft way he looked at him, being so thoughtful; all of it was intentional, and Kei was letting him get away with it. If he truly didn't like it, he knew that the older would have stopped it, but Kuroo could read him all too easily, and knew exactly when to stop if he'd gone too far.

"I've been fine," he mumbled, eyes trailing down to his wrist where Kuroo's hand still remained there, gently guiding him along the streets. "Just reading and uni stuff. I'm not so much nervous about starting university, but a little about tryouts."

"Is this about what happened at nationals, when you hurt your ankle?" Kuroo said softly, his hand slipping down to take Kei's and giving it a gentle squeeze. 

"A bit, but it's more than that, though. That day, I was a mess, and everything has just been changing since." It was hard to say any more than that. Some things he just wasn't ready to admit completely to, even if he'd already told Kuroo much more than most people. 

Kuroo gave his hand another gentle squeeze, before the blond pulled his hand away, slipping it in his pocket. Holding hands seemed much too intimate for just friends, even if they were soulmates and Kei hadn't actually minded the touch. Kuroo and him weren't dating, and even if Lev and Yaku were also his soulmates, it felt wrong to be like this with Kuroo when he wasn't a part of their relationship. He’d already declined the offer to see the two of them, worried about if he would be intruding by showing up unnanounced, if Yaku would think it was weird that he was there since they technically weren’t even friends, or how Lev would react to seeing him again (if he would even remember Kei at all). He didn’t belong, as much as Kuroo was starting to make him feel like he did.

It was quiet for a moment, and as Tsukishima finally looked up, Tetsurou was looking at him with his eyebrows furrowed. "I see," he muttered, turning away to look properly at where they were going, not attempting to take Kei's hand again. "In that case, the best advice I could give you would be to just play, don't overthink things. Volleyball is all about being in the present. If you think too far ahead, you lose sight of what's in front of you. On the other hand, if you focus on that messed up serve, or dropped ball, you'll never get anywhere because you'll always be holding yourself back. Things are always going to end up changing, you're always going to be facing new challenges even midway through a game. But when you're there in that moment, you can't let what happened before hold you back from overcoming those challenges."

Kei didn't need more explanation than that. It was clear that while Kuroo had been speaking about volleyball, he hadn't been talking about volleyball at all. It actually made a bit more sense this way, and the blond was grateful for the advice, even if he wasn't sure exactly how to react to it. "I guess... I guess you're right, Kuroo. There's just a lot going on that I have to deal with at the moment, you know?"

"Mhm, I get it, don't worry about trying to explain. Just, don't ever be afraid to let me know if it's too much," he said tenderly, giving him a warm smile and opening up his arms as they stopped walking, having reached the apartment. The message was silent, but understood clearly enough; 'I'll be here for you if and when you need it'.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around Tetsurou, allowing the older male to pull him into a warm embrace. Kuroo's tail wrapped around him too, and instinctively, the blond intertwined his own tail with the older male's. He knew it was selfish to be so close, but just for the moment, Tsukishima let himself be selfish. Any and all of the words he wanted to say refused to come out, and instead Kuroo was the one talking again. "You'll do great, Tsukki, I know you will. Go and get some rest now, though, m'kay? I'll see you soon."

“Uh, okay... just message me if you need anything, or want to meet up. Goodnight, Kuroo,” he said eventually, pulling away from the hug. Immediately, he felt a whole lot less warm, missing the embrace. 

At the very least, by the way Kuroo’s tail was swaying slowly behind him, Kei knew the other male was happy. Once again, the panther hybrid lightly ruffled Kei’s hair, a gentle smile on his face as he did so. “Sure, I’d love to meet up some time. Goodnight, Tsukki.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn’t actually meant to exist in my plan- but I hope you all enjoyed it anyways!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated, and I’d love to know what you liked/your thoughts on what’s going to happen!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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